Shadow of a Doubt
by truephan
Summary: After PP. Danny and his friends stumble upon long-forgotten clues concerning the prophecy of a strange race of ghosts, the ghost with a human ancestry who is destined to be their ruler, and the history of Johnny 13's Shadow. DxS, TxV, OCs
1. Chapter 1 The Shadow Man Cometh

**A/N: Well, it's that time again. I hope you have enjoyed my past stories. (And in my book, it's never too late to read and review them at any time!!)…I thank all my past readers who have been soo supportive. You make writing a joy!!...Anyhow, I came up with this story when an idea began to take a life of its own after I started to wonder where Johnny 13's Shadow ghost came from. And this is the result!! I am very excited about it because it really has elements of all the genres in it: mystery, action/adventure, angst, romance, humor, suspense and drama. But it's basically a mystery adventure which is why I labelled it as such.**

**And it's OK if you haven't read my past stories, especially "Bewerewulfed", "Brace Yourself" and "His Own Worst Enemy" which are particularly alluded to here. Just pretend that the referred "truths" from those stories, then, are "true", especially when Danny has wulf claws and super-speed powers now….And this story takes place after "Phantom Planet" and "His Own Worst Enemy" (too complicated to summarize!) as well… **

**I especially thank my good friend, Angelus-alvus, for helping me hammer out the summary (you're my good luck charm, you know!!). And I want to give a special 'thank you" to pearl84 for your immense help... **

**Oh, BTW, hope y'all don't mind that I'm starting this story today instead of Friday like I usually do. You see, it's my sister's b'day today and I thought it would be nice surprise for her to dedicate this entire story to her!! Happy B'day, sis!! **

**And I need to warn you that even though this story is rated "K plus ", there are three kinda intense scenes in it. (not as intense as some others I have read on FF, but more intense than most of my stories.) I will warn you at the beginning of the chapters in which they occur and give you a summary at the bottom if you don't want to read it. And I apologize if there are any more technical difficulties, namely the "spread out" verses scattered throughout the story. I have tried to correct them but may have missed a few!!**

**Oh, and here's another little mystery for you: I will have a surprise in the future about the original characters' names. I am sure you will figure it out right away. There are a lot of savvy readers out there and I love it!! **

**Finally, of course, (raising my hand up in oath) I definitively state from this chapter onward that I do NOT own any characters ("IDNOAC" , that is!) Now, are you ready?? Then strap yourselves tightly in, cause it's goin' to be a VERY long **_**and **_**wild ride!! Here is Chapter 1. Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt

(Be afraid, be very afraid!!)

Prologue

Danny Fenton, Sam Mason and Tucker Foley, best friends since, like, forever, and a cast of other students were in the mist of cheering on their Casper High School football team, the Ravens, at the state championship game. The enthusiasm they all felt was like the rush most of them had experienced billowing down the Mad Monks roller coaster at _Floody Waters_. And what made the game even more exciting was that it was being played at Shadesville, another small town in the state. Just being there, after all, was quite an adventure in itself for most of the sheltered youth in Amity Park.

It had been several months since Danny's last encounter with his alternate, evil self. That fight with the ten-years-from-now Phantom had altered the time stream, so much so that the three friends had been jolted back to the spring of their freshman year after Danny and his future self battled for possession of Clockwork's staff. As a result of their fight, all the events surrounding the disasteroid incident no longer existed in most of the world's mind.

But now it was the following fall, and they were in their sophomore year-- again. The friends agreed that, overall, having all that time literally erased during that momentous encounter was for the better. Everyone had been overwhelmed with all the attention Danny had attracted, and the half-ghost himself couldn't agree with that more…So, even though this now meant having to deal again with the familiar changes—juggling his time, having Valerie on his tail and—worse of all—having Mayor Vlad around—Danny was still glad to have his secret back. And he was still pleased that his parents knew about his alter ego, so that outweighed the negatives.

Still, the three friends knew there were more changes to deal with. Danny was now dating Sam, and Tucker was now dating Valerie. That was quite an adjustment in itself. And then there was that alternate timeline. Their calendars told them they were still fifteen. Yet, after all they had gone through in their young lives, especially since they had relived most of the year, they felt older. They knew that they should really be sixteen, but had to accept that the current timeline insisted they were still fifteen—again.

And so here the three best friends were. While they tried to beat off the early November chill, their school's football team was now beating the pants off of their greatest rival for the state title. Their approaching victory had all of the Casper High students in high spirits...

"Yeah! Go, Ravens, go!" Tucker yelled, vigorously waving the Raven flag.

Swinging his arms erratically in excitement, Danny hooted, "Whoo-hoo! That'll show them!"

The play ended with the Ravens gaining twenty yards. Seeing the opposing football team call a 'time out' to strategize the next play, Tucker turned to Danny and said with a disappointed frown, "This is so great! But I wish Valerie were here. She would love this! Too bad her boss is a real jerk and doesn't believe in giving her time off for things like this!"

Both of his friends looked sympathetically at him. Being without her at this exciting moment was a little upsetting to Tucker.

"Sorry, Tuck," Danny replied, and then yelled at the next play. Tucker quickly joined him.

Sam, as usual, sat next to her best friends, seemingly oblivious to the events bombarding her senses.

"Thanks, dude," Tucker commented. He quickly got over his pining at seeing their quarterback—Dash, of course—suddenly take control of the ball and run clear across the field, making a breath-taking touchdown!

"Touchdown: Ravens!" the announcer excitedly barked.

Danny and Tucker jumped up in enthusiastic triumph. "DID YOU SEE THAT?" the half-ghost exclaimed to his male friend.

"I KNOW! He just took it clear across the field. I am SO glad that we're here! But I still can't believe it!"

Seeing that Tucker was not that upset anymore, Danny grinned and said, "Well, it did help that my parents are attending a ghost hunters' convention this weekend."

"And that my parents are attending a family history research workshop," Sam added, bundling up some more.

"OK. So it's all about timing! My folks couldn't resist Shadesville's famous Fall Festival! The food here is awesome!" Tucker smiled, reflexively licking his lips and rubbing his stomach. "And my parents love the art shows. So I guess it's lucky that we had something else to do while our parents did their thing!"

"Besides, when was the last time we were able to get a shot at the state title?" Danny remarked, not turning from how intensely he was watching to see if the Ravens made the one-point field goal.

Sam sullenly answered Danny, "Like a billion years ago! And they're going to lose, you know! The good karma has all ready been used up just to get here!"

"AWW!" the crowd and Danny yelled when the Ravens missed the point.

Turning to Sam and frowning because of her comment and the last play, Danny objected, "Oh, c'mon, Sam! Don't be so negative! How would you know anything about 'reality' lately anyway? You've been everywhere but here these past few weeks! We're creaming them! How can we possibly lose?" He suddenly turned back to the field and yelled in excitement at the next play's kick off.

She frowned in irritation, but not towards his comment about the game.

Suddenly, the trio noticed that the sky was darkening, as if a storm was approaching; but queerly, there were no clouds.

Looking up and lazily pointing to the sky, Sam dryly retorted, "Does that answer your question?"

Then, just as sudden, Danny's ice cold, blue breath eked out of his mouth. "Oh, no, not now! We're winning!!" he groaned. Then the teen was startled by another quick warning by his ghost sense...

* * *

Floating high in the distance, a large shapeless ebony ghost briefly glanced at, and then scanned more intensely beyond, the game in progress. Surrounded by hundreds of other similar ghosts, the green-eyed ghost unquestionably looked like he could be the leader of this invading army. But he wasn't. He was the second-in-command. He turned and looked back at his slightly shorter leader, who was close behind him and in front of the others. The leader immediately gave his nod of approval to his chief general, who, in turn, gave a low bow to his leader, and then signaled the others. The entire army of other solidly black ghosts moved slowly and silently as one mass, drifting toward the football field.

Suddenly, the leader pushed ahead of his deputy. Although this leader looked just like the other shadow ghosts that made up the approaching ethereal cloud of darkness, he was different. He had piercing and evil red eyes, and a hair-like crown of red flames and equally flaming-red and sharp talons that accented his coal-black form.

Just as this army of black ghosts was at the far border of the field, the second-in-command moved up to his leader again. He searched for signs of the leader's permission once more before making his next move. At last getting it, the deputy laughed. But it was not a delighted laugh. It was a sinister one.

Now to each other, the shadow ghosts would not sound odd in their way of communicating. But to any human's ear, these shadows were extremely difficult—if not impossible—to understand. And so, to a human, the deputy's laugh would sound more like a hiss. And his response would remind a human of a growl. But this creature did not hiss and did not growl. He spoke:

"My lord!! Yours for the taking  
Such a small town  
No problems making  
It all come down!"

* * *

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 1—The Shadow Man Cometh

Meanwhile, the football game played on. It was such an intense game; everyone didn't notice the large dark cloud ebbing toward them. Well, everyone, except for the young half-ghost and his friends, who were gazing up at the strange occurrence with heavy frowns.

Danny made a quick check around him to make sure that no one was looking at them before he looked to his friends; and with a quick nod of understanding among themselves, Danny fell backwards through the bleachers. Tucker and Sam instantly scooted closer to each other, successfully concealing Danny's sudden disappearance.

The shadows under the bleachers were suddenly filled with light emanating from Danny's transformation, as his sapphire eyes became emerald and his coal-black hair snowy-white. His clothes also instantly changed, revealing the black-and-white clad ghost boy. He then quickly became intangible and invisible before charging upward to investigate the approaching immense shadow. All the while, only his friends noticed the sudden bright light under the bleachers or sweeping wake of wind as he soared past them.

But as the young hybrid flew closer to the ebony mass, his resolve melted to a sudden doubt, surprising him as his ghost sense again wailed in warning. His mind raced with his ghost sense. _"Man, there must be a lot of ghosts up ahead. But where? All I see is a solid black blob!"_

But as he neared, he saw something different in the black cloud. _"What's that?"_ he asked himself. _"There's something __**red **__right in the middle of all that black!"_

He slowed his approach and began to see the distinct outlines of something—or some **things.**

And one of those outlines with the red spots moved forward toward him.

His ghost sense went off again and Danny saw that the creature had some sort of form, but not really. It certainly reminded him of Johnny 13's shadow ghost. But as the red blobs on this shadow evolved, it unmistakably told the teen that it had menacing red eyes—and very large red claws.

"_Well, maybe __**not**__ quite like Johnny 13's jerk of a shadow. But is this one just as jerky?"_ he wondered.

Before drawing any nearer, Danny looked behind the creeping red-and-black shadow. No other single part of the blackness was moving, but he saw another outline with red spots in the middle of the mass. But its outline was smaller; and for now, he did not know who this smaller red-and-black individual was.

Danny looked back to the creature floating toward him. Uncertain of what all this meant or how to address this ghost, who clearly was the leader, the young hybrid decided to take a more subdued approach. When he thought that the ghost was finally near enough, Danny materialized in front of it and said a little too hesitantly, "Uh, hello! Are you lost? This isn't the Ghost Zone, you know."

The boy heard individual gasps from the black cloud as the other shadow ghosts reacted to the sudden appearance of this strange creature that addressed their leader. But the red-and-black leader was not impressed and didn't answer the boy right away. With a slight nod of his flaming red head, he continued to drift forward, and was now being followed by the wary other ebony ghosts.

Still slightly unnerved by their behavior, Danny asked more questions. "Hey, are you related to Johnny 13's shadow ghost?"

But then Danny knew that they could not possibly be related to Johnny 13's shadow ghost when the leader, unfazed by the boy's questions, spoke to the ghost who had finally caught up to him-- his second-in-command:

"And what this gnat be?  
He is no threat  
No time, no time  
To fool here yet."

Danny listened and was amazed that they could speak. But he could not fully understand them or their odd manner of speech. Before the teen could respond, the deputy answered his leader:

"He would be the Ghost Child  
Half-human, half-ghost  
Shares all the qualities  
Of Ombre the most."

"_Great!"_ Danny thought. _"Not only are they as ugly as Johnny 13's shadow, but they can't speak worth a hoot! But, I think I heard something about __**me…**__wait… is that even a good thing?"_

The leader turned to the other shadow ghost, and surprising him, quietly hissed, "Do not speak that name to me and do not even hint that the creature over there is worthy of us! I alone am worthy of the flesh-fulfilled Prophecy!"-_**x-**_

The second-in-command bowed in submission; and even though Danny did not hear what the leader had said, he could tell by the change in that ghost's expression-- and by how more intensely his red crown flared-- that the leader was not pleased.

"_Well, that can't be good,"_ The young hybrid thought. _"Still, it doesn't matter. They shouldn't be here. And what kind of creatures are these? I thought Johnny 13's shadow was unique; but, then again, I couldn't possibly have seen every kind of ghost when we were all poisoned by my jerky evil self!"_

Finally, the boy decided to speak to the leader again, "Listen...whoever you are! We don't want any trouble around here! So what do you want, anyway? You haven't told me if you were lost or anything!" _"Well, anything I could understand,"_ He added quietly to himself.

The leader smirked in mild irritation:

"Lost? No!  
We came to stay, to stay!  
We are the Spectre  
We came to slay!"

Danny's eyes widened at the creature's response and quickly thought, _"Oh, man! I heard that last word loud and clear! And did he say something about what they were? And at least the leader seems to understand me, I think! But how?" _But he replied, "Look! I was trying to keep this friendly, but you're getting too hostile. So, you need to go back to wherever you came from!"

This time the leader laughed at the boy's sheer audacity, and then sneered:

"So, just who are you  
To tell us no?  
Spectre do as we wish  
Not to go, not to go!"

"Uh, there's that word again…Gee, why can't he just come out with it?" Danny muttered under his breath, straining to understand. Then a quick idea came to him. _"Maybe he wants to know who I am?"_

He cleared his throat and said as clearly as he could, "OK. I'm game…I'm Danny Phantom. And you are?"

At first, the sound of Danny's full name caused a stir among the other Spectre behind their leader. They mumbled amongst themselves, not out of fear, but out of awe at his name.

But the leader, plainly upset at the similarity of their names and at the reaction of his minions, answered:

"My name you ask?  
Fear if you know  
As Prophesy of the Spectre _**-x -  
**_I lead where I go."

"But truth be told  
No matter, no matter  
I am Phasma the Fierce  
Very strong, even madder!"

Just as Phasma said the word 'madder', he threw a black-and-red candy-striped-like ectoplasmic ray at Danny, who easily avoided it and again hearing only the last word of what the creature said, quipped, "Oh, I see, so let's stop all the chatter!...Hey! Pretty good, considering how much I hate—and as usual, totally don't understand-- all your poetry stuff!"

The young hybrid immediately responded with his own signature green ectoplasmic rays at Phasma, who quickly opened up pores in his form, allowing the green rays to pass through him.

"_Well, it was worth a try,"_ the boy thought as Phasma shot more of his black-and-red rays at him. Again, Danny avoided them, but then the shadow ghost hissed and a few other Spectre immediately responded with their own black rays.

This time, Danny countered them with his ice rays which rendered them ineffective. _"Good! At least that power works against them!" _he said to himself.

Suddenly, the line of attackers just behind their leader, which the teen noticed looked **scared **at their failure, fell back; and a new line pressed forward and had their turn at attacking the boy. And again, the young hybrid froze their efforts. Knocked off balance once again on how easily this young ghost subdued them, the shadow ghosts were hesitant to attempt another round of attack.

Phasma, too, was slightly unhinged at this foreign ghost's tenacity and power, and for a moment, he lost some of his fierceness. But then, seeing the second red-and-black Spectre defining herself separate from the other ghosts, he quickly regained his wits. Silently indicating to that smaller shadow ghost to move back, he then waved his red claws wildly at the mass of shadow creatures, commanding:

"Fall back, fall back!  
New come, new come!  
Press on, press on!  
No run, no run!"

Danny urged himself, "_Forget what he said! It's obvious from what they're doing that they haven't given up yet! Don't know if I can keep this up indefinitely. There are hundreds of them! But, why--…" _He stopped himself, his eyebrows creasing at his next sudden thought, "…--_Why don't they all shoot at me at once?_ _Uh, not that I want them to, of course!" _Then another wild idea hit him and his eyes widened at the possibility. _"Maybe because they __**can't**__! They did look kinda scared when their first—and maybe only?--shot didn't get to me! That would explain the rotation in the line!" _He smiled slightly at another memory_, "Guess Lancer would be proud that I remembered my Revolutionary history! They might be 'one-shot musket', uhm, well, 'one ray' ghosts, anyway!"_

Just then, a third line of shadow ghosts formed and it immediately took its chance at trying to beat this young warrior. Once more, the boy's ice rays quickly disarmed his foes, and they fell back. Danny brought his hand to his mouth, attempting to stifle his laugh. "Can it really be this easy? They're worst than the British were!"

But as Danny soon realized, his cockiness was Phasma's advantage and the shadow ghosts' leader sneaked a shot of his black-and-red rays at the chuckling boy. Seeing the attack a little too late, the young hybrid was only able to freeze a little more than half the beams aimed at him. The rest instantly penetrated him and wounded him in his left arm.

Danny yelled as the stinging and burning sensation pulsed through him. Instinctively grabbing his arm, he felt the warm, wet ecto-blood that oozed out of the fairly large wound. And suddenly, he was dizzy, and felt empty--as if he were lost or aimlessly adrift-- which was then replaced by a feeling of self-doubt.

Phasma laughed when he saw the reaction he wanted. He jeered:

"Aha! You shall see  
The Spectre Black Seal!  
Doubt self, doubt self  
Insignificant you will feel!"

Danny, trying to shake the strange feeling, spat back, "Don't care what you just said, but I'm not going to let you have another opportunity at hitting me with that black-and-red beam again!"

And the young hybrid instantly charged up a huge ball of ectoplasmic energy between his hands and threw it at the leader of the Spectre. Though Plasma tried to avoid the missile, he was not fast enough and was hit head on. The energy released was so powerful that the shadow ghost was affected enough to cause his form to fade a little. He was so stunned that he did not notice—but Danny did—that two bound scrolls which had been hidden within himself were jolted away from his body and had now fallen to the ground below.

Danny successfully tracked the scrolls' fall without drawing any more attention to himself. Looking back up at Phasma, the boy, still reeling from the effects of the black-and-red ray, hesitated on whether he should get the scrolls or continue in his fight.

But Phasma decided for him. The shadow leader had recovered more quickly than Danny thought and, worse, hadn't given up. The ebony ghost jeered:

"Might have hurt  
But there is relief.  
Listen. Listen.  
It was only brief."

He motioned with his claws and the large mass began to close in on the young hybrid, with **their **black claws now extremely obvious and posed to strike.

"_Oh, man, bayonet time!"_ Danny immediately thought, but even though he tried to ignore the feelings, the effects of the black-and-red ray had done their job, and he felt he could not hold out against them all. Still struggling to clear his mind and realizing that his eyes were not focusing well, the boy thought_, "This is tougher than I thought! Uhm, I better get out of here. I mean, looks like I'll have to come up with some other way to deal with you, whatever-your-name-is!"_

But then he mustered up his grit and yelled, "This is not over, jerk!" Quickly becoming intangible and invisible, he flew downward. As he soared away, his apprehension began to lift a little—but not his doubt--and he charged more earnestly toward the two rolled leaflets that still lay where he saw them fall. He grabbed them right before he phased through the ground. And only when he was several hundred feet away from the hoard of shadow ghosts did he resurface.

Holding his foggy head as he headed back to the football field, he muttered to himself, "What was **that **all about? Those black-and-red rays are definitely on top of my list of things to avoid from now on! I don't know-- and don't want to know-- how it would feel if I got the full brunt of them..." He paused, confused, and his left arm throbbed. "Uhm, man, my arm still hurts!! And, uhm, what should I do now? I'm not sure! ...I don't know what to make of all of this! ...What's going to happen? ...I need to find out what's going to happen. But how...?" He paused again. Then he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "C'mon, Fenton, think! Uh, about what? C'mon, you need to get to Sam and Tucker and figure out this mess!"

Meanwhile, Phasma, pleased with his apparent victory, thought, _"Hmph! He is no Prophesy of the Spectre__**! - x-**__ Now that I ridded myself of that creature, he can no longer interfere with my quest! I must be sure of the Prophecy!" __**- x-**_He searched for the scrolls only to realize that they were gone! He began to panic, but forced himself to suppress his growing distress. He could not let his minions know or see his sudden nervousness.

His second-in-command, however, did notice and whispered to him, "Master, lord, is something wrong? I can help if you command it."

But Phasma immediately rebuked him, "How dare you speak without my leave, Spectro? Do not doubt my strength! I have nothing to fear!"

Spectro bowed in submission and frowning in great apology, begged, "Your pardon, my lord. Spectro knows his place. He does only as you command. It will not happen again."

The ruler of the shadow ghosts smiled softly; it was, however, not a sincere one, but one hiding a subdued threat. "No harm done. But just so you know who I am—the Prophesy of the Spectre—you have my leave to go." But then Phasma added, "But before you go, know that they are gone. The scrolls, that is. The ones which contain the riddle of the Omen of the Prophecy. We must retrace our steps!"

Just before the stunned Spectro could answer, the other smaller red-and-black shadow creature came up and put her shadow hand on Phasma. Immediately, thoughts flooded her mind and she smiled. (And just as she had touched Phasma, Danny's wounded arm throbbed.)

"All is well, Father?" she asked.

"No, Jiva, but do not concern yourself about it. Now is not the time!"

She pouted at his mild rebuff but was satisfied nevertheless. She had gotten what she had come for, and she looked toward the direction to which Danny had gone.

"We must go, Spectro!" Phasma commanded.

And just as the other Spectre followed their unsettled leader back from where they came, so, too, were they followed by their discontent.

* * *

_**- x-**_** A/N: The Spectre called their leaders "Prophesy of the Spectre". I purposely spelled it "Prophesy" (pronounced 'pro-fi-sigh') to distinguish it from the 'Prophecy' (pronounced 'pro-fi-cee'), the omen that was passed on by the past Spectre.**


	2. Chapter 2 Uncertain Conflict

**A/N: Hope you're enjoying this story. "IDNOAC" ("I Do Not Own Any Characters", that is). Now on to Chapter 2. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 2—Uncertain Conflict

Danny's flight was slower than he thought it should be. But he couldn't make himself go any faster. Somehow he felt that this unintentional drag was linked to the slow ebbing of his doubt.

Finally, he saw Sam and Tucker, who were just leaving the football game. He flew behind one of the concession stands and changed back to his human form.

He ran up to meet them. Tucker was obviously upset and in a state of disbelieving shock. Danny had seen that look on Tucker too many times not to notice how dazed his bespectacled friend looked. He wondered why.

But what Danny didn't realize was that he, too, looked dazed. But not in the same way as Tucker. Sam frowned, clearly worried on how pale and drained Danny looked and that his eyes weren't focusing well at all. She said to him, "Are you all right, Danny? What happened up there?"

He was barely able to direct his gaze at her. "A lot! But I don't know what to make of it…I want to tell you… But let's wait…uhm… until we get back to the hotel. Is that OK? I'll tell you then, OK? But maybe it's kinda, sort of, a good thing we were here after all. I think."

Sam did not like the way he was talking. But before she could say anything more about it, Danny's head cleared a little and he suddenly remembered why they were there. He blurted out, "By the way, uhm, did we win?"

"No!" Tucker whined.

"But it was an honorable defeat!" Sam softly said, trying to cheer Tucker up.

"It doesn't matter! Twenty-four to twenty-three! So close and yet so far!" Tucker cried in defeat, and Sam sympathetically patted him on his shoulder.

"Darn it! I'm sorry, too, Tuck!" Danny said. He hesitated, his thoughts suddenly drifting off the subject. What were they talking about? He stifled the panicking feeling he suddenly felt at feeling this lost. He forced himself to focus and, then remembering a little bit of it, said, "Uh, well…uh, there's nothing we can do about it. I guess…But there're other things more important happening here! Uh, isn't there?"

Now both of his friends looked at him, confused and worried about his odd behavior. Why was he rambling? But just as they were about to say something, the shuttle bus that would take them to their hotel pulled up and Danny put his finger up to his mouth in gesture for all of them to be quiet for now. His friends blinked in bewilderment, but said nothing.

Sam and Tucker's minds raced much faster than the shuttle bus was going, eager to hear Danny's explanation and to find out what was wrong with their friend. And Danny's head began to clear—a little.

Finally, they were back at their hotel and hurried to Danny's room. Fortunately, none of their parents had gotten back yet.

Tucker immediately went to the refrigerator and scanned the contents. His eyes brightened as he reached in. Sam and Danny waited for him to join them.

Danny, feeling a little better, but still slightly dazed, then continued, "Anyhow, like I was saying, it's a good thing we were here. We all knew there were a gazillion ghosts. Now there are a gazillion and a thousand ghosts! That black cloud was a bunch of ghosts we haven't dealt with before, sort of. But, believe it or not, they all looked and acted a lot like Johnny 13's shadow ghost!"

"What?" Sam and Tucker both exclaimed.

"But I thought he was the only shadow ghost there was!" Tucker said, handing a soda to each of his friends.

"Yeah, me, too!" Sam agreed, opening her can.

"Same here," Danny added, putting his can down for the moment. "But there was a really odd one." He described Phasma to them and they listened in earnest. Finally, Danny concluded, "But this is how they were really different than Johnny 13's shadow ghost: They could shoot black beams, except the leader, who could shoot red-and-black beams. Those rays were all twisted, like a candy cane." He unconsciously rubbed his left arm at the now-healed wound site again. It was still sore. "And I can tell you that at least the red-and-black beams are powerful. The leader managed to hit me with them. Don't know—and don't want to know—how the black beams feel."

Even though Sam was a little relieved that Danny was making more sense now, she still wasn't satisfied. Examining his face again, she replied, "Are you all right, then, Danny? You looked dazed when we first saw you, and you still look a little pale."

He smiled, happy that they weren't fighting at this moment. Their fights had started several weeks ago, a couple of months or so his fight with Evil Phantom. And they were about the same thing. But as long as they weren't talking about **that,** they were getting along just fine, well, sort of. Suddenly, his arm hurt more and his mind flooded with uncertainty. Thoughts totally unrelated to what they were talking about took over….

She had been spending way too much time at home ever since **then **and it was getting worse. She didn't even seem to be interested in hanging out with him or Tucker anymore. But especially not him. He didn't understand it. After all that happened in these past few months, well, really in the past year to them, her strange behavior in the past few weeks was the most upsetting to him. After all, they had a connection, something special. And they had been best friends forever. Why couldn't' they talk anymore? He hadn't changed; but somehow she had... Or maybe she hadn't. She was here—just why she came he wasn't sure—but she was here and they were finally **talking** again, even it wasn't about what he wanted to talk about.

This was the first time in a while that they were together for longer than the usual "Hi's" and "Bye's" at school and the occasional "How-are-you-I'm-fine"-kind of meaningless banter before she would rush home again. They hadn't even done much ghost hunting lately because he easily caught them himself—or Valerie would—and only let the others know about it. She was always interested in that at least.

But that **other thing…** He had tried to talk to her about it, but she would get all defensive and huffy. And then he would get mad. And she would get mad and Tucker would get nervous and then they would all leave with a pit in their stomach. Or, at least he would. She wouldn't even talk to Tucker or Jazz about it. Why did she have to be so stubborn?

Then things would be sorta fine until they brought **it **up again and the whole scene, which seemed awfully rehearsed to him by now, would start again.

So here she was worried about him again and he was happier than he had been in the past few weeks. He had forgotten her question.

"Danny?" she persisted, a little worried and then irritated when she saw his expressions change from anger to confusion. And now why did he have that goofy smile on his face? "Are you all right?"

"Uh, huh?" he stuttered. "Yeah. Or, uhm, I don't know! My head is still swimming." His mind became more focused—a little—and he proceeded to fill them in about the effects of the black-and-red rays.

"Sounds like that's something we'll have to worry about the next time we meet up with them," Tucker commented, finally able to make some sense of this all. He was glad that he wasn't the one who got zapped.

"**If** there's a next time," Danny corrected him. "I don't want to ever see them again! Especially that red-and-black one!" Then his head started to muddle again as he tried to remember more. "Oh, I think his name was Phasma or something like that…Was is it something like that? I'm not sure….Anyway, I forgot to tell you guys how these shadow ghosts were even more different from Johnny 13's shadow—they could talk, well, sort of."

"What do you mean, sort of?" Sam asked, getting worried once more about his strange behavior.

"Well, their talk rhymed like poetry. Ugh!" he answered.

Sam brightened, "They did? Then it must have been full of meaning!"

Danny dryly replied, "Yeah. 'Meaning' that they came here to take over this city at least, and maybe that they are looking for something."

"What do you mean?" Tucker asked.

Danny narrowed his eyes, trying to remember what all Phasma—or whatever his name—said. "Well, he did say something about an "Ombre" or something like that. And slaying. He said something about that. And that was enough!" He groaned, "I just can't remember it all!"

"Well, that's a start," Sam began, not happy that he was still a little 'off'. "Hey, how about if we see what the Book has to say about this 'Ombre' thing?"

Tucker cringed when he saw Danny's eyes suddenly flash green. _"Oh, no, here they go again!" _he thought.

"Not **that** **again**!" Danny hissed, one of his hands suddenly thrusting into the air.

"What?" Sam protested, surprised by his tone. "He knows a lot, you know!"

"He?" Tucker snorted. This time Tucker was in the thick of it. "And you complain about me calling my PDA a 'she'!"

Sam glared at Tucker. "It's not the same, and you know it!" Then turning to Danny, she said with more irritation than she realized, "C'mon, Danny, don't be so touchy about him. I don't spend that much time with him!"

"Yes, you do! And **it is** the same—like Tucker said!" Danny countered, suddenly aware of his throbbing arm. "You really have no right to get all huffy yourself! Oh, but that's right! You're **not** **ever** by yourself, are you?...And just leave Tucker alone!"

Suddenly, his head cleared, but it was too late because he had already blown his top. But then at that moment he realized that his behavior wasn't at all like him and now his arm wasn't hurting anymore.

Looking and finally seeing Sam's scowl and Tucker's sad frown, he sighed and said more quietly, "Uh, can't we change the subject, please? I think these shadow ghost rays affected me more than I thought. And I think the sample I got was enough to drain me of my…" He paused, and reflexively putting his hand behind and nervously rubbing his neck, added, "…self-confidence, or something. I haven't felt this kind of doubt since, you know, when I last faced Phantom."

Sam and Tucker looked at him and then at each other. They were now too confused to be angry or chagrined.

"Then what are we going to do?" Tucker finally asked, trying to keep them off **that** subject, again.

"Well, I'm not sure yet. I still don't know why they're here…except maybe to take over, and maybe even to hurt someone…I got that message loud and clear! But how they're going to do it, I don't know and how we're going to defeat them is still another question."

He put his hands into his pockets and suddenly felt something that didn't belong in there. He pulled them out and then said, "Oh, yeah! I forgot about them…." Showing them to his friends, he added, "But maybe these two scrolls will help us find out both."


	3. Chapter 3 Part of the Answer

**A/N: Hope you're enjoying this story! IDNOAC! Now, here's Chapter 3. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 3—Part of the Answer

Sam and Tucker crowded around Danny's outstretched hands, examining the bound scrolls. Each was made of dark brown parchment paper, but splotches of a lighter shade of brown randomly dispersed throughout the scrolls were proof that the dark hue was not the original color of the paper. The scrolls were also worn down; their edges tattered.

Gently pulling off the dark brown string that held it together, Danny slowly unrolled the first one, but it immediately began to crumble. "Oh, no!" he uttered. "How are we going to read these if they can't be opened?"

They didn't have an answer at first, but then Sam, though still upset about Danny's comments, couldn't ignore her curiosity or her wild idea. "Hey, wait a minute! You took these scrolls away from ghosts, right?"

Her friends nodded, bewildered about her point.

"Don't you guys get it? They're **ghost** scrolls. Maybe they need **ghost hands** to open them."

Danny half-smiled at her, thinking, _"Did she get that idea from the Book?"_ But he kept that thought to himself and instead said, "Uh, nice work, Sam."

Sam's lips pursed as she tried to suppress her anger again at instantly noticing his insincerity_. "He thinks I got the idea from __**him**__! Well, I didn't, Danny! I CAN think on my own!"_ she answered, also keeping those thoughts to herself.

He noticed the change in her expression. He was so distracted by it that he inadvertently transformed totally into his alter ego, rather than change just his hands into ghostly ones. He grabbed the first scroll and easily unrolled it.

He glanced at it. The writing was cryptic and faded; but it was legible. He showed it to his friends but they shook their heads, clearly unable to make heads or tails out of it.

"Well, we're back to 'square one'," Tucker remarked.

"What do you mean? It's legible! I mean, sure it's still in poem form—which by the way, makes its worth totally debatable—but it's not difficult to read," Danny said, surprised that they couldn't understand it.

They just looked silently at him.

Then he realized that they really **couldn't** read it. "Hey! Maybe getting zapped by that ghost had its advantage after all, though I could have done without the pain and confusion that came with it!" He read it over and then said, "Well, since you can't read it, would you mind writing it down in your PDA, Tuck? That way, we can refer to it whenever we want and we won't have to worry about the scrolls getting accidentally destroyed, OK?"

"No problem, Danny," Tucker said, gleefully pulling out his PDA. He would easily transcribe the message with this PDA. It was the very same one he had "inherited" from Skultech right before Danny was poisoned by ectoradium. He glanced down at the scroll and waited attentively.

Danny said nothing at first, forgetting momentarily that Tucker couldn't read the scroll.

"Oh, sorry! OK, here goes," he chuckled when he noticed his gaffe, and then began to read very slowly so that Tucker could keep up with the texting:

₴ "In the city of happy fall  
In the center of the rings  
Strike the crystal ball  
Look to where it sings."

€ "By the green valley  
With the brown mount  
Look for the blue sea  
And the first black count."

He looked at Tucker and said, "Got it?"

"Got it," Tucker confirmed.

"OK. Clear as mud," Danny sighed. "Any ideas, guys?"

The other two shook their heads.

"Do you mind reading it back to me just to make sure we got it right, Tuck?"

"No problem, dude!" And Tucker obliged him.

"OK. Good. Now let's look at the second scroll," Danny suggested.

He carefully unrolled it and began to read as before:

₴ "Beginning of the Spectre  
Close to the pier  
Birthplace of Ombre  
Glimmering and sheer"

€ "River to ocean  
Ocean to sea  
Pay attention most  
Eight paces from alee"

₡"From North of the mouth  
East is always best  
Eight paces South  
Look to the West."

Danny waited for Tucker to finish and then asked, "Uh, could I please take a look at what you wrote? I want to make sure we got this one down perfectly."

"Uh, sure, Danny," Tucker said, as he surrendered his most prized possession to his friend.

Danny looked at what Tucker wrote and then compared it to the scroll. "It looks good, but you misspelled "Spectre" and "Ombre". They are spelled S-P-E-C-T-R-E and O-M-B-R-E but are pronounced 'Speck-tray, accent on the first syllable' and 'Om-bray, accent on the first syllable'. And 'Spectre' is both singular and plural, like the word, 'moose'."

Tucker looked at Danny with surprise as he accepted his PDA back from his friend. It was kinda creepy that his friend knew all that strange stuff. "Uh… how do you know how they're pronounced and whether or not it is plural and singular? I mean, these aren't words in our everyday language, dude."

Danny frowned thoughtfully. "I uh… Now I remember! I heard it during that fight with Phasma. Phasma. Yeah, I'm sure that's his name! And somehow, seeing those names in writing just gelled everything about the fight and the scrolls."

Tucker's face scrunched in confusion before looking down at his PDA and making the corrections.

"Looks good?" Tucker asked once he was done.

Danny, who had been watching Tucker correct the words over his shoulder, replied, "Looks good." He then looked at both his friends and asked again, "Anything?"

Smirking in frustration, they both shrugged and wagged their heads.

"Yeah, me neither; poetry has always been just gibberish to me," Danny mumbled.

Not knowing what else to do, Danny absent-mindedly turned the scroll in his hand over and over, inspecting both of its sides. Then he noticed something strange that he hadn't paid attention to before. He saw the same mark— ₴, a 'one' when he translated it —appeared at the beginning of the first stanza.. Then another different mark—€, a "two" —was at the start of the second stanza. And then there was still another symbol—₡, easily a "three" to him— that marked the third stanza on the second paper.

He then picked up the scroll he first read and inspected it. The same marks on the first and second stanzas of this scroll also appeared on the respective stanzas of the second scroll.

Then turning each of the parchments over, he noticed that the upper right hand corner of each scroll each bore symbols as well. The first scroll he had read had the "€" symbol on it—a "two". And the second scroll he had read had the "₴" symbol in the same place—the number "one"!

"Hey!" Danny excitedly said, finally sounding more like himself. "We have it backwards! I read the second scroll first and the first scroll second!"

His friends blinked, totally at loss at what he just said.

"What I mean is that the second scroll must be the beginning of this puzzle…"

'Beginning!" Sam finally uttered, getting over her tiff with Danny again. "The first stanza of the, uh, second scroll you read—which you said is really the first one—said 'the beginning…', too! Maybe that's exactly where we start."

"But all that gibberish…" Tucker began, agreeing indirectly with Danny.

"Hey! That's it! Gibberish!" Danny yelled so loudly that his friends jumped. "Oh, sorry!" He said with an embarrassed smile. "Maybe we can read the poems to the 'ghost gabber'. It's supposed to translate whatever ghosts say!"

"It's worth a shot," Sam agreed. "But, of course, it'll have to wait until we get back home! In the meantime, then, maybe we can look up as much stuff as we can to help us decipher this puzzle."

Tucker looked quickly at Danny and then Sam. He knew that Danny was well aware of what Sam truly meant. He closed his eyes, hoping that they wouldn't go at it again. But he was wrong.

"Fine, then, I was hoping that we could all unwind, but I see you'd rather spend all your time with **him—it. **So, just go have a great time together!" Danny suddenly yelled as he stormed out of the hotel room, only to realize that it was **his** room that he just stormed out of. Now mad **and** embarrassed, he paced back to the door and then turned away again. Unable to decide on what to do, he walked around the corner and down the other outside hallway until he could make up his mind.

Tucker stood helplessly by Sam as she fumed, "Just what's with him, Tucker? He's been going crazy ever since that incident today! So I like to read! He knows that! And I have a very fascinating book to read. He actually interacts with me! You can understand that, right, Tucker? You spend hours on your PDA!"

Tucker, hesitant at first, but not wanting to see his friends like this anymore, braved a response. "True, but it can't compare to being with you guys. I may fiddle with it while I'm with you both, but I'm with you both **first**. I don't prefer its company to you guys, or to Valerie's for that matter, don't you see? Besides, it's not like I'm actually **dating** my PDA! I'm seeing Valerie! That's the difference."

Sam was stunned by his remark. He was right! She had been neglecting Danny for the past few weeks— or was it months? —all because of the Book she had gotten from Clockwork. But she didn't think it bothered him. After all, Danny understood that she loved to read…but she didn't really ask him either... What was she thinking? Tears began to well up as she recalled how Danny did try to talk to her about it, but she brushed it off, and even got defensive. She felt so confused about all this, and yet it somehow made sense. This was why he had been acting strange all the time and now. And this explained his subtle hostility since the shadow ghost encounter. She wiped the tears from her eyes and started for her room.

"S-Sam?" Tucker stammered, but she left without saying good-bye.

She looked around, hoping to see Danny. But he was nowhere in sight. She quickly made her way to her room and let the tears flow. She ran into her bedroom and took out the Book.

"Oh, Book! I don't know what to do!" she cried, holding it up to her eye level. "You've been like a secret best friend to me! I have never been able to pour my heart out like this before! I feel you're like a diary, but only better, more special! But Danny's special, too! Book, he means so much to me! And now, after all these years, we're finally together, and only for me to screw it up because I found you, too!"

She continued, sniffing, "You know I don't have very many friends, well only four really, including you, but that's not the point. What I'm trying to say is that Danny and Tucker—and even Jazz—have always been there for me, especially Danny. With him, things always look brighter because he's always showing me that he cares. But now, somehow, I've just been too caught up getting to know you to notice! You know I've always have had a hard time expressing my _real _feelings, especially after having to hide them for so many years. Instead of getting better at this, I've been getting worse! I'm…I'm turning my feelings off more and more toward him and sharing them with you instead!" She jolted from the sudden revelation. "Oh, no! I've been turning all my friends off...I've been hurting them all…and Danny…especially him!"

She began to cry, and the Book shuddered and then pressed against her face. "I don't blame you, please understand! It's just….just….well, I think I need them—and you—but they should be…are… more important than a…" She stopped and looked at the Book and it seemed to sense what she was going to say.

It pulled away from her face and gently landed on her lap and opened its cover. Puzzled and upset that she may have hurt his feelings, Sam looked down at the blank page. The book had never done that before when she talked to it! Then her eyes widened. For the first time, he was actually **writing** its reply to her instead of being the silent listener, or indicating its interest or intentions with mime.

"You have been a dear friend to me, too, Sam! All those years on Clockwork's shelf made me lonely. But then I found you! And I, too, am thrilled to get to know you! But we have both been selfish. And you are right! You belong to this world. You belong to the friends of your world, but that doesn't mean we can't still be friends. I will always be there for you. You have been what I needed…to feel needed! And I know that you will always make me feel that way. So, go, make your friends feel needed again. Especially Danny. I really like him, you know, even though he can get kind of cocky sometimes!"

It shuddered in laughter, which made Sam laugh.

She sniffed. "Thank you, Book!" she said, with all sincerity.

She ignored the flash of lightening but couldn't help but notice the clap of thunder that followed. Then the rain began to come down hard almost immediately afterward.

But the Book didn't notice any of that. It soon answered, "I'm just happy to help you, Sam; and, by the way, you don't have to call me 'Book". I have a name! And it's— Someone's coming!"

At the last minute, Sam thanked the Book with a huge hug, and then there was a knock on her door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, Danny had finally decided to come back to his room and try to hash it out with Sam. He couldn't take it anymore. He cared too much. He swung the door open and saw—only Tucker.

"Uh, where's Sam?" he demanded, not realizing how angry he still sounded.

"She went to her room!" Tucker told him.

"Good! Then I get to give them both a piece of my mind!"

Tucker thought he knew what Danny meant, but really couldn't believe it. Again, he braved a response. "Ah, Danny, you're not talking about the Book, are you?"

"Yes, I'm talking about that book! It's been nothing but a headache to me ever since it started to steal Sam's time!"

"Uh, sounds like you're jealous!" Tucker blurted out. He suddenly understood and silently thanked Jazz.

"What? I'm not jealous of a book!" Danny denied. Then he paused and his face relaxed a little at the thought as he added, "Am I?"

"Well, my mom kinda used to get crazy during football season. My dad seemed to think the TV was his second wife during that time, especially the way he talked to it. But then, my mother actually started to watch it with him, just to irritate him at first, you know. And guess what happened?"

Danny dropped his head and shrugged.

"She started to like it and now they're both happy and football fanatics. Drives me crazy!"

Danny lifted his head and laughed a little and Tucker sighed in relief.

Danny then muttered, "Maybe I am a little crazy. I mean, I'm jealous of a freakin' book!"

"Well, it's not entirely your fault, you know," Tucker added. "Why do you both have to be so stubborn? I don't know if Sam realizes that she has been going a little overboard lately. We know she likes to read, but it's creepy how she almost looks like she worships that book."

"But like you said, Tuck, she might not realize she has been going overboard. And I haven't been patient enough to try to get through to her. We both know how she is. I'm going to go apologize right now and try to get through this!"

Tucker smiled in relief, knowing that if anyone would work it out, it was Danny; and when she was not being pig-headed, even Sam would, too.

Suddenly, they saw a flash and then heard a loud clap.

"Uh-oh. Looks like rain!" Tucker said, and as if he had commanded it, it started to pour.

But in spite of the storm, Danny felt a little more light-hearted as he walked toward Sam's hotel room. He walked around the small puddles that formed from the steady rain that jumped from the upper floors. He really hated this tension between them, and somehow, he knew she felt it, too. Maybe like it always felt after the rain, everything would be fresh again.

He sighed in front of her door. He hoped her parents wouldn't be there. Then, just as Sam was gratefully hugging the book, he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Sam called before opening the door.

"Uhm, it's Danny," he said, suddenly kicking at nothing on the ground. A flash of light reflected off his back.

"_Danny!"_ She silently and excitedly screamed, and taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door.

She did not expect his next reaction, and jumped at the loud thunder.

He did not see her at first. He saw the book still in her arms. And he forgot what he was going to say but suddenly feeling flushed, he hissed, "You couldn't even leave **it** to see me, could you?"

And before Sam could react, he grabbed the book right from her arms and threw it into the partially flooded street just outside her door.

She instinctually gasped in horror as he ran back to his room. In a moment he was gone and she was out in the rain, rescuing her friend.

And as she tried to guard the book from the rain, she was suddenly more aware of the hot wetness on her cheeks than the cold wetness on her shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4 Heartstrings

**A/N: I hope you're enjoying this story. Here is Chapter 4. And IDNOAC!. Enjoy!! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 4—Heartstrings

Sam quickly rushed back into her hotel room and frantically got a towel. Panting heavily while tears ran down her face, she quickly placed the book on the counter and began to dry it off. "Oh, B-Book, are you all r-right?" she stuttered between the chill and the tears. She continued to rub the book dry. "I am so sorry! He was such a jerk just now! He had no right!"

The book shuddered a little itself, but then it suddenly floated upward. Sam couldn't help but pull back from it and gasped as it emitted a brilliant glow once again. But this light was different. She could feel **heat** emanating from it. The book's reaction was very brief, and then just as quickly it landed back on the counter. Sam touched it. The book was completely dry.

"I-I didn't know you could do that!" she said with awe and then shuddered at how cold she suddenly felt.

It flew open its cover and wrote, "There are still a lot of things you don't know about me. But you, my friend, need to get dry, too!"

"I'm all right," she insisted through gritted teeth. Quickly wiping her tears away, she added, "I'm going to give Danny a piece of my mind."

The Book shook and then wrote, "No! Please don't do that! I am all right. Really."

"But he shouldn't have…" she began, but stopped when the book immediately began to write again.

"Remember, he doesn't know me at all! He thinks of me as a **book**, Sam, not a living thing! And I thought we agreed that you were going to focus on him now! Give him time. I can…understand…how he feels!"

She looked at it, again amazed at its very human-like qualities. She hesitated. "OK," she finally and slowly said, her voice still ringing with more anger than she thought. "If it makes you happy. But just so you know, I'm still freaking mad! I better not see him for a while or else I might forget what I promised you."

But the Book did not answer her and shut his cover.

Sam bit her lower lip and frowned. She knew she had disappointed him. Her shoulders slumped as she walked away toward the shower.

Both Sam and Danny didn't sleep at all that night; and Tucker didn't fare any better. But thankfully, they were leaving with their respective parents early the next day, and would be too busy to check on each other—or to even **think** about checking on each other. In fact, with everything that had happened between them, they _even_ forgot all about the Spectre and the scrolls.

For the next few days Sam avoided Danny, and Danny wasn't in a hurry to see her, either. Tucker was back in the middle, and made the excuse more often than not that he was going to see Valerie, which he was, but not as often as he would have had Sam and Danny been all right with each other.

All three best friends were miserable.

All the while, Danny's depressed mood did not go unnoticed by Jazz. Finally, after giving more than subtle hints to him and letting his tart rebuffs roll off of her, she could not stand it any longer.

She seized the opportunity after school a couple of days later, when their parents were off shopping. She masterfully cornered her little brother in the living room.

"Uh, Danny, a word," she began, moving closer to him.

"I'm not in the mood, Jazz," he huffily replied.

"I know! You haven't been 'in the mood' for days! You need to talk to me about it!" she huffed back, crossing her arms.

He started to go around her, trying to ignore her. But she immediately blocked him.

"Get out of my way, Jazz!" he hissed, attempting to avoid her again.

She frowned, but blocked him again. This was more serious than she thought. She pressed on. "Uh, where have Sam and Tucker been? I haven't seen them for days!"

He glared at her but didn't answer.

A-ha! That was all the answer she needed. **This** was the problem!

"What happened? I have never seen you so upset! And you're upset with Sam and Tucker?"

He didn't answer her.

"With Tucker?"

He still didn't answer her.

"With Sam?" she continued.

He glared at her and then looked away.

She gasped. "You're upset with Sam! What happened?"

"None of your business, Jazz," he said, moving away from her yet again.

She blocked him again. And this time she was more insistent. "Well, guess what, Danny? You made it my business when all you've done for the past few days is chew me out—and all of it uncalled-for, I must say!! You owe me an explanation! Now, what happened between you and Sam? I want to help!"

He sighed in defeat; there was just no escaping her web. But just as he was about to tell her, his ghost sense alerted him. He half-smiled in relief.

She wagged her finger at him while he transformed, "Well, I'm not finished with you, little brother! And don't make the excuse of not being able to get back here as soon as you're finished when you finish doing what you need to finish,….uhm, or something like that!"

He quickly flew off without another word and she anxiously watched him phase through the wall.

Danny didn't realize how much he missed flying. He was in the dumps so much lately; it hadn't even occurred to him that this was one of the best ways to clear his head and think things through. But he had no time for that now. He needed to see what had bothered his ghost sense.

He scanned the horizon and his heart jumped. Coming out of a small portal several feet off the ground was Johnny 13! And he, of course, was on his bike and was accompanied by, of course, his shadow ghost!

Danny quickly soared up to the ghost biker and blasted him off his motorcycle. The ghost, and then his motorcycle, plummeted to the ground. Incensed, the shadow ghost immediately reacted and charged at Danny with his claws.

"Back off, Spectre!!" Danny seethed, charging up his ice rays.

But the shadow ghost's reaction was not what the hybrid expected. It halted in mid-attack, screeched in fear, and retreated behind the still-stunned biker. Then, just as quickly, the ebony ghost whispered something to Johnny 13 and the biker ghost's eyes widened.

Before Danny could react, both the biker and his shadow had hopped onto the ghost motorcycle, and in the blink of an eye, sped away.

Danny didn't pursue them. Instead, he hovered, scratching his head, "Didn't expect that!" Then he realized what happened. "Wait, I know! I called him 'Spectre'!" He jolted with another thought. "Spectre! I, uh, we were…the scrolls!"

But then, he quickly melted into depression again. He felt so lonely…. He wanted his friends back! He sighed, and headed back to his room. But unbeknownst to him, his sister had guessed that her brother would do just that and was waiting for him.

"What are you doing in here, Jazz?" Danny sighed.

"We weren't finished yet," she smugly answered, crossing her arms again.

"Uh, correction. **You **weren't finished. I was way over it. Can you go now?"

She did not answer him, but took an 'I'm-not-going-to-move-until-you-talk-to-me' stance.

He sighed again. He didn't have the energy to fight her. "OK, you win," he uttered. He hesitated slightly and then, looking at the floor, added, "Uhm, Sam and I had a big fight…about a book…"

Jazz stifled an instant snicker, but immediately tried to cover it up with a more serious look. Fortunately, he was still looking down. _"Geez, it's hard to believe that they don't fight about the_ _big stuff!"_ she thought, but said instead, "Oh, I see…and what book...would that be?"

"You know, Jazz, **the** Book," Danny said, now regretting his decision to tell his sister.

Jazz almost panicked when she wasn't sure what he….and, oh, then she knew! And she quickly said, "Oh! You mean **the **Book!"

He nodded silently, still looking at the floor.

She paused, truly uncertain on what to say. But she knew she had to say **something**. "Well, it must have been something very serious for you to be so upset. And is Sam upset, too?"

"We haven't even so much as looked at each other for over four-and-a-half days!" he muttered miserably.

"_Oh, this __**is**__ very serious,"_ his sister thought, but replied, "Uh, what does Tucker say about all this?"

"Don't know. Haven't seen him much either lately," came his reply. He still wasn't looking up.

Jazz bit her lower lip. Then she smiled at her next thought, and said, "Well, you know how much Sam loves to read…"

He finally looked up and his voice grew louder and more irritated, "I **KNOW** she loves to read!" His eyes flashed green; he wasn't going to hesitate any longer. Unfortunately for his sister, she wasn't quite ready for the barrage.

He stood, his hands fisted at his sides. "Do you think I don't **know **that?!" he fumed again, "But she has really been going overboard with that book for the past few months! And when I say overboard, I mean to the point that I feel she wants its company more than mine, which I really think is true! and I couldn't take it any longer, so I got mad at her…again, but then Tucker said I was jealous and he was right, and then he agreed that she was going way overboard with the book, and then I went to apologize when I realized I shouldn't be so jealous over a lousy book and I didn't want us to be this upset… again and then she had the book..AGAIN! when I went to apologize and it was raining and then I got mad and threw the book in the rain and we haven't spoken since." With an angry huff, he slouched down on his bed.

Jazz stood speechless, stifling the fleeting thought of regretting that she had butted in. But she quickly recovered and blurted out her sudden idea, "Well, then that's it!"

"What?" he asked, bewildered but anxious to know the answer.

"Tomorrow, you apologize!"

"But I think she should apologize, too!" he answered.

"OK, then, how about a truce?" Jazz next suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"You both agree that this is something you both will need some time to work through, and until you come to an understanding, you simply don't bring up the subject."

"We all ready tried that and look what happened!"

"Well, you try again, but you also really need to try to talk it over and come to that understanding." She sighed when she realized she was asking for a lot. "Why do you two have to be so stubborn? You're both crazy about each other but also too pig-headed sometimes! But I think you're less pig-headed…"

"Gee, thanks, Jazz," he deadpanned.

"You know what I mean, Danny!" she continued, now losing her patience a little. "Sometimes one person has to work harder than the other to get through certain things. And sometimes it's just the opposite."

She looked at him and immediately knew he hadn't a clue as to what she had just said. She sighed and continued, "What I mean is that you are not as hung up on that book as she is and so you're going to have to be the one to work harder to help her come to an understanding about it. Just like she did for you before, you know."

"When?" he asked.

"Well for one, there's the time when you didn't believe she was your best friend after Desiree erased your memory. She worked very hard to get you to understand everything and, of course, it worked! And then there was the time you were under the control of Control Freak…and of course, when you were poisoned, and lots of other times when you were in trouble! She didn't give up... But both of you have to be willing not to give up and also have to be willing to take turns. And, you know, I think you both are willing to do that! It's just that you're both too angry right now to see it. That's what relationships are all about, Danny, especially when you love each other!"

Now he understood. He smiled and gave his sister a great big hug. "Thanks, sis," he softly uttered. "Makes me wonder why some great guy hasn't snatched you up yet!"

Jazz laughed, "Oh, I'm too busy for all that now. Besides, I'm just as stubborn as you are when it comes to arguing! He wouldn't win!"

Danny smiled and turned to leave. And he felt a little of the weight lift off his heart.


	5. Chapter 5 Heartstrings Part 2

**A/N: Hope you are liking the story so far. Here is Chap 5. And enjoy my mantra of "IDNOAC" (How would we say that anyway?" Maybe pronounced: "Id-no-ack", accent on the first syllable??). Anyway, Enjoy!! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 5—Heartstrings, Part 2

Now Jazz knew Sam, too, and how pig-headed **she** could be, especially now that it was the goth girl's turn to be a little more unreasonable in this situation. Jazz would have to get to Sam before Danny got to her.

So as soon as Danny headed upstairs and even though it was growing dark, Jazz headed to Sam's house. She got there in no time and knocked on the door. Fortunately, Sam's grandmother--ever on her scooter--answered the door.

"Uhm, hello, Mrs. Manson!" Jazz said. "Is Sam home?"

"Yes, dearie, she is, but she says she doesn't want to see anyone."

"I know. But this is important," Jazz insisted.

The grandmother hesitated, then answered, "So, do you know what's wrong with my bubele?"

"Well, yes, I do…." The girl also hesitated, but then replied, "She had a fight with Danny and it was…about…."

"The book?" the grandmother sighed, finishing the sentence for the girl.

"Uhh, yes, the book," Jazz stammered. "How did you know about that?"

The old woman smiled wryly and didn't answer her question. Instead, she sweetly replied, "Now, don't you worry about a thing, Jazzy. I will take care of it. I knew something was wrong, but I think now would be the time to stop giving--and start stepping into--her space. You've answered a lot of questions for me!! Thank you for everything, and have a great night!"

Before Jazz could say anything more, Sam's grandmother was patting and squeezing her on the cheek, turning her around and quietly closing the door.

Jazz blinked. Did she just get out-psyched by the master? _"Well, if that's the case, then I'm_ _sure everything will be all right... I hope!"_ she said to herself as she started to walk home.

* * *

Sam was reading in bed when there was a knock on the door. She hadn't heard **that** sound for several days.

"Bubele? May I come in, please?" a voice asked through the door.

Sam sighed and went to the door. She hesitated, but then unlocked it and turned the knob.

Her grandmother rode in and Sam went back to her bed.

They looked silently at each other at first, but then her grandmother said, "So how's the weather in here?"

Sam smirked and said, "Now, grandma, you didn't come in here to ask that!"

"Ya think?" the old woman quipped back. She rode a little closer and stopped just out of direct eye contact. She looked like she wasn't going to look at Sam or say anything, but then she shifted her gaze sideways at her granddaughter and sighed, "You know, I almost didn't marry your grandfather." She shifted her eyes back, pretending that she didn't want to see Sam's reaction.

"What?" Sam said. Even though her grandmother did say some pretty far out things at times, the girl was not prepared for this.

Her grandmother continued, "Now, don't get me wrong. I was crazy about him ever since I first laid my eyes on him. And we had a very crazy—yet very happy—marriage! But it almost didn't happen," she sighed again.

Sam was about to interrupt, but her grandmother heaved an even bigger sigh and Sam thought better of it, as it was **that **kind of sigh, the one her grandmother always used when she wanted to talk to her very stubborn granddaughter. And it always worked.

"You know, we met at a study group in college. But he was so darn interested in **studying**! But then I finally got him to notice me." She chuckled unexpectedly at the memory. "We hit off right away after that. But then there was this other girl who liked him, too; and since she feigned actually being interested in the subject, he offered to tutor her. I knew he was doing it for the love of the subject, but they spent an awful lot of time together. An awful lot! And I couldn't help but be jealous." She laughed again, and turned to Sam and said, "Can you imagine my being jealous?"

But she didn't wait for Sam to answer and continued, "After all, he was the only gent who could ever get me to come down to earth! Anyhow, one day they were studying as usual, but this time your grandfather brought a soda with him. And Beatrice hadn't and she was thirsty and asked him for a drink. Of course, he said 'yes'. And then it happened."

She paused and looked at her granddaughter. Sam didn't say anything, because her expression told her grandmother that the girl suddenly wanted to know what happened.

Mentally smiling in self-satisfaction, the old woman continued, "She accidentally got her lipstick on the bottle! And then he took a drink a little later and he didn't notice that that little bit of the lipstick on the bottle got on his lips. But then she left and I came to meet with him as we had planned. When I saw the lipstick still on his lips, I immediately thought the worse…I didn't give him a chance at all to explain it and we had the big fight."

She stopped again and sighed, "Wasn't that a silly thing to fight about? Even after Beatrice pleaded on his behalf, I wouldn't listen! And we didn't see each other for weeks afterward."

"Weeks?" Sam gasped.

"Yes, weeks! You know how stubborn I can be!" the old woman replied.

"What happened?" Sam gently asked, finally understanding her point.

"Oh, nothing! I finally cooled enough to get uncrazy; just to realize how crazy I still was about him!!! So I swallowed my pride and apologized. And let me tell you, he didn't realize how lucky he was that I would even _**think**_ of doing that! And I didn't realize how lucky **I was** that for the first time in my life I wasn't too stubborn to do just that!!

The old woman finished. She sighed and smiled encouragingly at her granddaughter. She then reached over and kissed Sam on the forehead. And then she turned her scooter and started to head out the door. But just before she was through the door, she twisted slightly back and said, "I hope you won't stay stuck in here too long! You still have friends, you know! Besides, the weather in here is just awful!"

Sam laughed just as her grandmother left. She. Tucker. The Book. They were all right! Yes, Danny didn't have the right to throw the Book, but she shouldn't have pushed him that far. She had spent way too much time than normal with the book. She missed all her friends. Especially Danny! Suddenly, she remembered their conversation right after he was cured of the black shadow decay…

_He softly whispered to her, "Thanks for not giving up on me."_

_She quietly whispered back, "You know I never will." And they softly kissed…_

"You dolt!" She chided herself. Squelching the tears that had begun to escape, she sighed, "I'm still crazy about you, too! We need to talk! I can't wait until tomorrow!"

Now more than ever she wanted her heart to ache a lot less than be stubborn any more.


	6. Chapter 6 Melting Ice

**A/N: "IDNOAC". Here is Chapter 6. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 6—Melting Ice

_Danny saw her angry red eyes blaze at him just before she violently interlocked her hands with him in a struggle for dominance. She was much stronger than he thought as he wrestled for control. _

"_No! Don't Sam!" he yelled as he repelled her away. But then suddenly, she wasn't Sam. She was a dark creature with red eyes and red claws._

_He looked again. She was Sam again, but her eyes, though still enraged, were now violet. He looked down and saw the red claws which protruded from her fingertips just before she attempted to slice at him._

_He barely avoided the claws and then willed his own and before she could strike again, he had blocked her. The echoing sound of clashing claws pierced through him and was so intense that he…….._

….woke with the screeching sound of his alarm clock. He searched around the room with panicked eyes, still panting and sweating from the nightmare.

"Man! Am I so glad it was only a dream! But it felt **so real**!" Danny said as his breathing started to slow. But his mind was still foggy as he muttered, "I sure hope Sam doesn't react like that when I finally get the chance to apologize!"

He slowly got up and began to get ready for the day. But what he didn't know was that what he experienced was both **a dream and real**. He had been dreaming of Sam but another creature was trying to get a hold of his thoughts and struggling to drive Sam out….

The shower, however, easily washed his thoughts of his nightmare away and he quickly got dressed.

"_This is going to be a good day!"_ he thought as he began to 'brush' his hair with his fingers. Suddenly, he found himself humming at how content he was. He chuckled when he realized this as he hurried downstairs and headed to the kitchen

His parents and sister jumped as Danny literally bolted into the room and said with more gusto than most people dared this time of the morning, "Good morning, Mom! Dad! Jazz! Isn't this a beautiful day?"

Jack glanced outside and saw that the rain hadn't let up yet. "Uh, if you say so, son!" he stammered.

Maddie, who was just placing Danny's breakfast on the table for him, replied, "Yes, it's a beautiful day, now that it looks like you're finally feeling better!"

Jazz smiled in response.

Danny ran over and gave his mother a big hug, before reaching for Jazz and doing the same thing. Then he took two bites of his eggs and a sip of juice. Right after, he started out of the room as fast as he had entered it. "Well, gotta go!" he called as he left. "Don't want to be late for school!"

His parents looked at each other with slight bemusement while Jazz just kept on smiling. Finally, Jack uttered, "Teenagers! Go figure!" Without hesitation, he grabbed Danny's unfinished breakfast and dove into it.

* * *

Danny didn't seem to notice the cold rain at all as he walked along. He had so much energy, and was so happy now that he almost danced down the street. Finally, he reached the school. Wait…How had he gotten there this fast?

The teen shrugged it off with a bright smile.

As soon as he entered the school, he finally noticed all the rain water dripping off of him. He looked for and went into a nearby closet. Seeing what he needed, he floated above the mop bucket, became intangible and smiled as the water obediently landed inside the bucket. "Don't want to give old Mr. Johnson any more work than he has to do!" he chuckled softly.

He quickly solidified and left the closet. Spying Tucker in the distance, he ran up to him.

After all these days of watching Sam and Danny drag themselves to their lockers, Tucker had grown so use to it that he startled when Danny seemed to pounce on him.

"Uh, I didn't mean to forget to call you!" Tucker automatically apologized, raising his hands up as if in surrender. He had been purposely avoiding him, of course, but he **was** going to talk to him about **that **eventually.

"What are you talking about, Tucker?" Danny chuckled. "I'm just glad to see you!"

Tucker blinked at his friend. He sounded like the 'old Danny'. Tucker squeamishly added, "Uh, are you OK, dude?"

"Couldn't feel better! Have you seen Sam?"

"Uh, she didn't call you?" Tucker hedged.

"No, she didn't! We haven't exactly been on 'seeing' terms much lest 'speaking' ones lately, you know!"

"Uh, well, she's not going to be here. Her grandmother got hurt. I think she fell and maybe broke something. I'm not really sure if that's right because Sam was crying the whole time she was telling me and it was hard to understand her!"

Danny suddenly felt his stomach knot up again…She didn't even call him for as something as important as this?

Tucker, of course, noticed the change in Danny's expression and got nervous all over again.

"Uh, look, Danny. She was very upset and…."

"…She couldn't even call me about this!" Danny interrupted, finishing the sentence that Tucker honestly wasn't planning to say.

"Look, Danny, you'd be upset, too, if something terrible happened to your parents or Jazz. Maybe you wouldn't even think about calling us until you could calm down."

"But she called **you **and called you **first**," Danny protested, suddenly looking at the floor.

Tucker didn't have an answer for that one. But he knew he'd better say something in a hurry. "But you still found out! I'm going to the hospital after school. Please come with me!"

Danny looked at Tucker. The tone in his voice… it was unmistakable. Tucker was pleading him to go with him. But it wasn't because he was scared of going by himself to the place he dreaded most. No, his plea was so he would go with him _to see_ Sam and her grandmother.

But Danny didn't answer him and went to his class.

* * *

The school day went by in a fog for Danny. Not even Mr. Lancer's rants seemed to faze him.

Finally, the dismissal bell rang and Tucker searched through the crowd for his friend. He spied him at his locker.

"Well, are you coming?" Tucker asked.

"I don't think so," Danny murmured, looking away.

Tucker grew uncharacteristically impatient. "C'mon, man! This is important! If you can't do it for Sam, do it for her grandmother! I'm doing it for both of them! Sam's grandmother is the coolest and I want to make sure she's OK! I can't believe you could be this heartless!"

Danny jolted at Tucker's last statement, and an unexpected memory jumped at him. He frowned at himself. He should know better than to think like his evil self. He finally said, "Oh, man, you're right, Tuck. I am being selfish! I care about Sam's grandmother, too, and although I'm still hurt that that Sam didn't tell me about this, she needs me right now. Our problems can wait."

Tucker smiled weakly and uttered, "Now that's the Danny I know! Let's go!"

They got to the hospital in no time. But for all of Tucker's heartfelt intentions, just as they reached no more than twenty feet from the entrance, he suddenly halted in his tracks.

"Uh-h-hh," he stammered. "I know I really wanted to come here with you, dude, but now…"

Danny chuckled a little, "Yeah, I know!" And he proceeded to push Tucker from behind into the hospital and down the hallway. Fortunately, Sam's grandmother's room was on the first floor.

They both stood outside the door, and gawked—Danny in hesitation and Tucker in phobic shock. Finally, Danny snapped out of it first, sighed, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," the voice said. It was Sam's. Danny's heart jumped just as he opened the door and dragged Tucker in at the same time.

Right after he situated Tucker, Danny turned around and his eyes instantly met Sam's. His stomach knotted up and his heart leapt again. But this time, somehow, he could feel the same feelings from her.

Sam sat near the far wall next to her grandmother. Danny walked a little closer to the bed, and glanced at Sam's sleeping grandmother. The old woman looked peaceful in spite of the large bandage around her head. Danny stammered, "U-Uh, will she be OK?"

"I hope so," Sam whispered. "She hit her head and has been out since it happened. And they think she broke her pelvis. But they say she just has a small concussion and should be as good as new in a few weeks." Suddenly tears began to well up and her voice quivered, "It's all my fault! When I got home from school yesterday, I just threw my backpack on the table and it fell to the floor. I **never** do that!...But I've been so upset lately…And no one saw it because of the tablecloth, but then she hit it with her scooter and it tangled in the wheels and she was thrown off of it!"

Suddenly, she began to cry and Danny's heart melted.

He walked over to her and she suddenly jumped up and threw herself into his arms and bawled. He felt so helpless yet so happy standing there having her cry in his arms. He didn't need to say a thing, but hugged her tighter. She in turn wrapped herself around him and cried harder. Then he patted her back and she clung even more. Finally, she relaxed and her crying began to slow. He just kept holding her, not saying a word. He began to wonder if he should—but didn't really want to—let go.

But Sam's grandmother decided for him. She groaned and both Danny and Sam jumped. Tucker was the only one who didn't respond, and he continued to stand in the same place where Danny had left him.

Quickly wiping her tears, Sam pulled away and went closer to her grandmother.

"Grandma?" she anxiously called.

"Bubele?" her grandmother moaned. "What happened?"

"Grandma, are you all right?" Sam continued to ask, not answering her grandmother.

The old woman looked around the room and realized that she was in a hospital. Then she saw Danny and Tucker and smiled weakly. "I think so," she finally said. "My head and butt hurt but otherwise, I'm fine! Uh, where are your parents?"

"They went to get some coffee….Suddenly, she began to cry again. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Grandma! This is all my fault!"

"No, no, bubele," her grandmother interrupted. "I was turning the corner too fast and didn't see the backpack until it was too late! Your father's always nagging me to slow down or else I might get hurt and darn it if I'm now going to have to eat crow about this!"

They all chuckled a little. The old woman gave Danny a significant smile and he grinned timidly back. She then smiled at Tucker, but frowned a little when he didn't respond. She decided to just address Danny. "I'm glad you came to see me, Danny. I'm sure Sam appreciates her friends' being here!" The old woman didn't let on that she was happy that she could help get them back together again, even though she would have preferred it not to have been the hard way!

Just then, Sam's parents returned. They nearly ran into Tucker, but Tucker didn't notice.

Danny blocked their view of the old woman; but still, seeing the boys there, the parents just stood there, slightly perturbed, but silent.

Finally, Danny nervously uttered, "Uh, we'd better go. Uhm, call **us** if you need us, OK, Sam?"

She smiled weakly and said, "Sure. Let me walk you out." She grabbed his hand and led him on. It felt good to both of them. As they left, Sam grabbed Tucker's arm and dragged him behind them.

When they had closed the door, Sam turned to Danny and nervously said, "Uhm, thanks for coming, Danny, er, guys. I-I…"

She wanted to say more, but Danny interrupted her, "It's all right, Sam. We'll talk later. Right now, your grandmother needs you."

He gave her a hug and then they looked at each other awkwardly, both wanting the same thing, but a nurse came and interrupted them. "Uh, excuse me. I need to go in," she sheepishly said, pointing to the door behind them.

"Oh, sorry," both Sam and Danny said, shifting—and then moving Tucker—away from the door.

"Well, see you later," Danny said with a weak smile, grabbing Tucker and pulling him as they turned to leave.

"Yeah, see you later," Sam agreed.

As Danny continued to pull Tucker along, he felt better again. He was determined that tomorrow they would talk everything over.

Finally, they left the hospital. The moment they were outside, however, Tucker finally uttered, "So, are we going in or what, dude?"


	7. Chapter 7 Truce and Brewings

**A/N: Uh, I know that so far, this story has been a little unlike me! I'm not very good with all the angst stuff, but I think these last few chappies were necessary for the rest of the story to make sense. Besides, these chappies just popped up and demanded to be written! But I still miss my action stuff—which, BTW, is here-a-plenty in this story- so here we go…after just a teensy-weensy little more delay…Here is Chapter 7! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 7—Truce and Brewings

The three best friends never slept better that night.

And both Danny and Sam got up unusually early the next day. They hurried through their routine so that they could rush to school. They were there way before any other student in his right mind would or could even **think** about school. But they soon became embarrassed upon realizing that the other couldn't possibly be here this early, that is, until they saw each other in the distance and yelled in delight. They still knew each other well.

They met at the front stairs and gave each other a big hug and then, of course, finally kissed. And it felt as if they had never been angry with each other…..

And just as Danny and Sam were finally getting together and attempting to put their fight behind them, Jiva was having her own kind of rant….

"Where is he?" she fumed as she paced her room. "He must have had something to clear his doubt…or he is with **her**!" She closed her eyes and concentrated. But it was no use and she huffed, "I cannot feel him!"

But then she felt a slight tremor. "But what is this? He has something…it is significant!" But then the feeling left her and she shrieked in frustration.

She quickly struck a small gong and a Spectre servant entered and bowed almost to the floor. "Summon Asara, now!" Jiva screeched.

The servant left in great fear and in hardly any time, a very ancient and grotesque looking Spectre appeared. She gave the princess a slight bow. "Your wishes, highness?" she asked, but her voice sounded more like a growl.

"I require your special talent. I need you to locate someone of great importance. It will take time for me, but you will be swifter. Come here!"

Asara slowly approached the younger Spectre. And just as Jiva closed her eyes and concentrated again, she held out her arm, allowing Asara to touch her. The ancient Spectre's eyes widened and then narrowed as she probed the princess' mind.

"You seek a 'shadow-of-the-flesh'?" she gasped. "For what purpose?"

"That is not your concern. Have you located him?"

"No, highness. The path is strong between you and him, but it has been altered for the moment. I cannot see beyond what blocks it."

"_But __**I **__know!"_ Jiva thought but said, "I felt it too! I will call you again when I feel the path clear. You may leave."

"Highness," the old Spectre replied and bowing slightly again, left the room.

Jiva began to pace again. She was drawn to this flesh creature. He had such power for a shadow-of-the-flesh and yet, he was also once flesh-blood. That meant he possessed both strength and the very essence of what she admired in those kind of creatures. He must be special. She knew somehow that with him, she would have all that she wanted.

She walked over to the mirror that hung on the wall nearby. She looked at herself, admiring what she saw. Then, gazing intensely back at herself, she promised, "I will have him!"

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Meanwhile, in another part of the Ghost Zone, Johnny 13 and his shadow were arguing in their lair.

"Look, dude! We need to stay cool about this. It'll all blow over as it has in the past!" Johnny 13 said, trying to calm his partner.

But the Shadow growled and his green eyes narrowed aggressively; and the biker ghost was suddenly aware of his ring. He looked down at it and it felt oddly warmer to the touch and was _glowing_—fiercely! It hadn't done that in a very long time.

"OK. OK! I get it! If you feel that strongly about it, then go check it out! But don't get yourself in trouble and expect me to come after you! You know how I hate to use this bike for work!"

The Shadow smiled a little and Johnny 13's ring went dull and cold again.

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As they pulled away from their kiss, Danny lifted a hand and gently touched her cheek. "Sam… I'm really sorry…," he whispered with a sad look. "I shouldn't have exploded like that and I shouldn't have…," he sighed and looked away, not wanting to bring **that** up for fear of getting into a fight again.

Sam quickly placed her own hand on his cheek to get him to look at her. "It's okay, Danny. I haven't been fair with you… I've done a lot to hurt you… like not calling you about my grandma…. I was just afraid you wouldn't come if I asked you… Danny, I'm so sorry," she said, grabbing him in a hug.

They stayed like that for a moment, feeling relieved to be in each other's arms again. Danny slowly withdrew from her with a smile. "Sam, I-…"

He paused at seeing other students coming. He instantly rose from the outside stairs at the entrance to the school that they were sitting on. He extended his hand to Sam and after she took it, he helped her up as well. Without another word, he pulled her around the corner and headed to one of the benches nearby. He still needed to say a little more before they would have to actually go **into **the school.

Once there, he continued with what he was going to say. "Uh, Sam, we really need to talk about…. something," Danny stammered as he led her to the bench and they sat down. He was not going to let this be a thorn in their side anymore.

"About the Book?" she quietly asked, knowing what he was trying to say. After all **he** was the real reason they had been fighting.

"Uhm, yes," Danny replied, while feeling surprised that he still felt a twinge of jealousy. "Look, I know it's important to you, but can we, maybe, not fight about it for a while until we, uhm, figure this out? We need to be on the same page about this."

He suddenly cringed at the unintentional pun.

Sam, amused by his reaction and his pun, wryly replied, "I can close that subject for a while if you can!"

They chuckled at each other and then kissed again.

Just then, the bell rang.

"Gee, is that the dismissal bell all ready? We've both been here long enough!" Sam commented and they both laughed and headed into the school.

Danny and Sam went toward their lockers and saw Tucker near his. Valerie was with him.

Valerie saw them first and motioned with her head to Tucker to turn around.

When Tucker did, what he saw made him grin widely. Danny and Sam were holding hands and smiling!

"So, is everything cool with you two?" Tucker ventured to ask.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that! I'd say that things have warmed up just nicely," Danny chuckled as he gave Sam's hand a squeeze.

The four teens laughed and then the second bell rang….

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Johnny 13's Shadow searched throughout the Ghost Zone, looking for the exact place he was seeking. He smiled when he found the right spot. He produced his claws and rent open a small portal. He entered it, thinking and hoping all the while that it would take him to the only place that could possibly give him a clue as to why the Ghost Boy had discovered his secret: Fenton Works.

He phased into the laboratory and quickly blended into the shadows upon seeing the adult Fentons at work nearby. Ignoring the humans for now, he thought of his next move. He knew those things had to be somewhere. But where?

The Fentons moved to the far end of the lab, engrossed in their work. This was Shadow's chance. He floated upward and headed to the upstairs…

He searched in the first room he came to. It was pink and smelled of perfume. The Shadow scrunched up his nose and instantly decided this was NOT the place.

He floated across the hall and the decorations changed dramatically. **This** must be the Ghost Boy's room! He poked around, gliding from one end of the room to the other.

Just as he was about to give up, he saw a small pouch in one of the nightstand drawers. He grabbed it and pulled out the contents. He looked them over and a vague memory surfaced. He shrieked with delight when he recognized some of the symbols on the outside. These were the scrolls, they had to be! He quickly opened the first one and immediately frowned. He no longer remembered the writing on it! He looked again, hoping that if he concentrated enough, that memory would be drawn out.

Suddenly, a green ectoplasmic ray hit the scroll in his hand. It disintegrated right away. He jerked upward at the direction of the beam, only to see Maddie holding a still smoking ray gun! Jack was right behind her, aiming another weapon right at the Shadow.

"What are you doing here, you, you…**What are** you anyway?" Maddie yelled.

"No ghost we've ever seen, Maddie, but he doesn't belong here. Get out of our house, you spook!" Her husband cried as he fired the weapon.

Shadow shrieked and attempted to pull away from the force that was sucking him into the portable portal that Jack had shot near the Spectre. But Shadow's fight was futile and he dropped the other scroll, which rolled under Danny's bed. Finally, he was gone, having been sent back to the Ghost Zone.

"That silent alarm device you put in really worked well, Hon," Maddie exclaimed as they looked over the room to see if any damage had been done.

"Yeah, Sweetcakes, but I still haven't figured out how to keep it from activating the toaster oven at the same time yet!" Jack replied in embarrassment.

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When Danny arrived home from school that afternoon, he went to the kitchen for a snack. His parents were there and his father was busily fidgeting with the toaster oven while his mother looked on intensely.

"I'm home, Mom and Dad," he casually said as he opened the refrigerator. They did not respond at first and when he saw how absorbed they were, he chuckled to himself, _"Geez, how many inventors does it take to fix a toaster?" _But as he walked closer to them, he said, "Uh, why don't you just get a new one?"

This time they heard him and Maddie replied, "Oh, hi, Sweetie. We didn't hear you! We're just trying to recaliber the toaster oven so that it won't come on when the silent ghost alarm is activated."

"It was activated?" Danny asked, now curious about **that**.

His father enthusiastically responded, "Yeah! That's right! And the silent alarm worked. We got to suck this black ghost right out of your room today! Never seen anything like that before!"

"What did it look like?" Danny asked.

His parents proceeded to describe the ghost to him.

"Did it talk?" He continued to probe.

They shook their heads. "But it did shriek awfully loudly as it was being sucked back into the Ghost Zone!" Jack added in excitement.

"Maybe it didn't have time to say anything. But, still, it had to be a Spectre!" Danny blurted out.

"A what?" His mother queried.

"A Spectre. A shadow ghost. But which one?" he continued, really talking out loud to himself.

"Which one? Are there more?" Maddie asked.

"Yes, there are more, but I do not know which shadow ghost this was, or what he wanted…" Danny suddenly gasped at his next thought, "The scrolls!"

"What did you say?" Jack queried.

Their son didn't hesitate to explain everything that had happened concerning the shadow ghosts at Shadesville—well, except the part where he got zapped…. Ever since the Poisoned Ghost War –which the Fentons and Danny's friends secretly called PGW— the family had grown closer. The fight between the humans and the ghosts who were infected by the _black shadow decay_ had been tough. But, it built trust within the family; and so this type of conversation now occurred more often than not.

After that war, the Fenton family had had a very heartfelt talk about everything that happened. And they had come to a very important understanding.

Now, like all normal teenagers, Danny didn't want his parents to be involved in **all **his ghost activities—and his parents understood that they didn't have to be either. But they all agreed that if needed, the adults would always be there to help. In fact, his parents did their best to keep his secret safe and they were especially able to do this by continuing the façade that they still hunted him. And since Danny knew he didn't have to worry about his parents really gunning for him—and the fact that they had been able to make the house recognize his signature as a friend—made things a lot easier around the house and was a relief to them all.

Also, his parents focused their research on ways of actually helping Danny fight ghosts better; and he, in turn, helped test these tools even if, at times, he regretted that.

The fact that his parents wholly supported his 'extra curricular activities' actually helped Danny more than hindered him. His parents were listening to him more seriously and attentively. They had become quite good at the "being in cahoots" thing with covering for him at school, and getting permission for Sam and Tucker to come over whenever Danny needed them.

In return, Danny had promised to work harder at his studies. With Jazz's willing help, he was beginning to excel. He found that he had a natural talent in chemistry and his math skills were improving as well.

So, having his parents know his secret was one thing, but being able to depend on them and have them understand was a much more important thing. Overall, the young hero was quite satisfied with this new phase in his life….

"So, I need to check on those scrolls and because of everything that's happened, it's time to investigate what they are all about!" Danny concluded, and his parents nodded in agreement.


	8. Chapter 8 On the Same Track

**A/N: Well, whew!! That's over (the angst stuff that is!) Sorry, just hard for—and on-- me 'cause I'm such an action-loving kinda person. But like I said, it's necessary to the plot…And since the story is going to get awfully complicated awfully fast, I will begin to give you a summary of what's happened so far to keep things straight. So far: Danny and Sam had their misunderstanding, blow up and make-up about the Book, but Danny hasn't fully gotten over it. The Spectre have come and gone, after having attacked Danny and given him the ability to understand them. And who is the mysterious female Spectre named Jiva? Now, Johnny 13 and his Shadow have stumbled into the thickening plot. Shadow is worried that his secret has been discovered, and he has caused one of the scrolls to be destroyed….So, now, without much ado, here is Chapter 8…Enjoy!!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 8—On the Same Track

"Uh, were those scrolls brown in color?" Danny's mother asked him, suddenly remembering the brown thing the Spectre she shot at was holding when she had entered Danny's room.

"Yes!" her son exclaimed. "Did he take them?"

"Well, not exactly, Sweetie," his mother hedged, wincing. "I sort of blasted them to smithereens when I saw him. You know. I couldn't help myself." Danny chuckled and his mother scrunched her face in confusion. "You're not mad?" she dared to ask.

"It's OK, Mom! Tucker backed up the messages of the scrolls on his PDA! But let's see if that ghost got a hold of anything else!"

Danny and his parents quickly went to Danny's room. His parents silently looked on as Danny did a quick search.

"Well, they're gone!" Danny began and then he spied part of the pouch peeking out from under his bed. "Hello!" he added and went to the pouch. He quickly opened it and pulled out the remaining scroll. He could see it was the second one.

Handing it to his mother, he added, "Looks like you only blasted one of them, Mom! Give me a minute and I'll show you the scroll. It crumbles when humans try to open it." He proceeded to search a little more. Satisfied that nothing else was missing, he walked over to his parents and quickly changed his hands into ghostly ones.

His father smiled. "Man, I still think that's neat, son!"

"Thanks, Dad!" Danny smirked before he started to unroll the scroll.

His parents hovered over his shoulder as they tried to read the scrawled writing, to no avail.

"Makes no sense, huh?" Danny commented after he had read it to them. He turned around and looked at them again. "But I'm hoping the 'ghost gabber' can help us decipher it."

"Decipher it? I can't even make out one letter!" his father replied, his face skewed in confusion.

"Uh, well," Danny hedged, not wanting to go into the part why he could read them—that is, when he had gotten zapped--but his mother interrupted him.

"Well, sweetie, go ahead and do just that. We still have to finish re-calibrating the toaster oven, right, Jack?" his mother said. Danny had not noticed that **she** had noticed the change in his expression when he hesitated. She had seen it many times when he didn't want to tell them that he had gotten hurt, and she knew better not to bring it up unless he did.

They quickly left his room and just as quickly Danny called Sam and Tucker—in that order. After asking and finding out that Sam's grandmother was going to be OK, he frantically told them in turn what happened, including the destruction of the first scroll. They all agreed that now was the time to use the 'ghost gabber'.

His friends promised to come over as soon as they could, and Danny rapidly went downstairs to get the ghost gabber. But he stopped at the kitchen on the way to get a snack. He saw his sister there, and she was pouring over lots of books.

"Hi, Jazz, where ya been?" her brother cheerfully asked, as he opened the refrigerator and searched. He was feeling **a lot** like his old self again.

Welcoming the interruption, she quickly looked up from the books and said, "Oh, you know, I've decided to take up being a librarian as my second hobby! But you seem to be in a good mood! Is everything all right?"

He didn't mind her fishing for the scoop, and then scooped up some juice and cookies. He walked over to her and said, "Yeah, everything's a lot better, thanks to you! We came to a truce like you suggested. And we're still working it through. In fact, we all are back to our own little 'hobby', too, and I'm going to get the "ghost gabber" to help us. Want to come with us?" He started to gobble the food down.

She knew what he was referring to when he said: "we": that was he and Sam; the "we all" were he, Sam and Tucker; and their "little hobby" was ghost hunting. She smiled at his invitation. She really wanted to join them, but knew she couldn't. Instead, she teasingly replied, "Well, I'm glad everything is better with the "we" and the "we all" and the "hobby"; and I'd love to go but, you know, I've got college entrance exams coming up and…"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted with a smile after finishing his snack. "But I also know you're going to do great and the only problem you're going to have is deciding which one to attend. So, don't sweat about it too much, OK? I believe in you!"

Jazz smiled at his comment. It had been awhile since he had sounded like his old self, and she liked this particularly when this 'old self' part of him leaked out. "Well, you better get going yourself, there, 'hero'!"

With a smile, he reached over and gave her a quick hug, before dashing off to the lab. In no time, he was back in his room, getting ready for Sam and Tucker.

* * *

Soon after, his friends were there. With a quick, "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton!" to Danny's parents, they dashed upstairs.

Finally, after many months of feeling like they were in different dimensions, all three best friends were together again doing what they did best: ghost hunting.

"OK, Tuck, since the first scroll was destroyed, we're going to have to depend on your PDA."

"Way ahead of you, buddy," Tucker said, having already brought up the text and handed the PDA to Danny.

It felt good for them all to sound like their old selves again.

"OK, here it goes," Danny commented as he turned on the ghost gabber. He began to read, "Beginning of the Spectre…"

"**Beginning of the Spectre,****"** the ghost gabber repeated.

"…Close to the pier…" Danny continued.

"**Close to the pier,****"** the machine again mimicked.

Danny began to frown but continued, "…Birthplace of Ombre…"

"**Birthplace of Ombre,****" **the machine echoed.

This time Danny sighed, trying to suppress his irritation, "...Glimmering and sheer."

"**Glimmering and sheer." **

The three friends looked at each other in disappointment and disbelief.

"It didn't work!" Tucker moaned. "I mean, it didn't even make a comment back at you, Danny."

The trio looked at each other again, not knowing what that meant.

"Let's try it again, more slowly. Maybe it didn't hear it?" Sam finally suggested, wincing at how dumb her suggestion sounded.

The boys smirked at the same time in response, but obliged her.

Still, the ghost gabber repeated the first stanza verbatim.

"I don't get it," Danny said, exasperated. "It's just poetry!" He frowned.

But then the ghost gabber barked, **"I don't get it. It's just poetry. Be afraid, be very afraid!"**

"Now it's working! Uh, maybe it doesn't understand poetry, either?" Tucker offered, shrugging and scrunching up his face in embarrassment. He knew his thought was a lame one.

The three friends sat in silence. Then Sam's eyes brightened with excitement. "No! It's not just poetry! It's a riddle!"

"Riddle?" Danny echoed.

"**Riddle? Fear me!"** the ghost gabber answered back.

Danny growled in irritation and turned it off.

"It has to be because the ghost gabber couldn't translate it! Let's read it again," she suggested.

Danny read it back and slowed his pace toward the end, his thoughts running wild. "Ombre! Hey, remember, guys?! When we were at Shadesville? I remember it now! One of the Spectre mentioned that same name to Phasma. There must be some connection there!"

"Ombre….Ombre...," Sam mulled it over. "Hey! I've been reading about another city not too from here that's supposed to have a famous haunted pier. In fact, I think it's called "Ombray's Quay"! But it's spelled differently than the scroll. Do you think that's a coincidence?"

The boys just looked at her. She had been reading **the** book again.

She glanced at them when they didn't answer and then recognizing **that** look, frowned a little. But instead of getting peeved, she immediately smirked, "Well, it's a totally fascinating book, but I didn't read it there! I read it in a travel guide, when I was trying to find interesting places around Amity Park! I think the name of the city is Shadow's End."

"Well, it's just as good a guess as I'll ever come up with!" Danny said back with a half-smile. "What do you think, Tuck?"

"I'm with Sam. She does have us at an advantage, you know!" he answered with his own smile.

Sam grinned this time, knowing that they were all beginning to get over that hurdle. She laughed, "Knock it off, will you? You would've figured it out eventually, too! Anyhow, how about looking at the rest of that riddle?"

Tucker gave his PDA to Sam and she slowly read the second stanza:

"River to ocean  
Ocean to sea  
Pay attention most  
Eight paces from alee."

Cupping his chin with his hand, Tucker surmised, "Hmm, sounds like directions."

Danny reached for the PDA. He glanced at the third part of the riddle and agreed with Tucker. "Yeah, I think you're right, Tuck. And this last part also looks like directions." And he immediately proceeded to read it back out loud:

"From North of the mouth  
East is always best  
Eight paces South  
Look to the West."

He then added, "But they won't make any sense unless we can go to Shadow's End. Looks like it'll have to be put 'on-hold' until the weekend…"

"… '**on-hold' until the weekend…This is the end!" **The ghost gabber suddenly said.

"Sorry dude," Tucker said with a shrug and weak smile. He had felt so lost without his PDA while his friends had it that he had been fiddling with the ghost device instead and had accidentally turned it on right in the middle of the half-ghost's statement.

Danny and Sam smirked back.

Finally, they were all on the same track again!


	9. Chapter 9 On the Way

**A/N: Hope you're liking this story!! So Far: Danny, Sam and Tucker read the first stanza of the poem to the 'ghost gabbler', but they discovered that it couldn't translate the poem because it was a true riddle. Now, the friends are anxious to solve this mystery. Remember that "IDNOAC"!! HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!! I DO OWN some characters: ALL THE SPECTRE!! Wow, aren't I powerful now??? Ahem, well, now here is Chapter 9… Enjoy!!! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 9—On the Way

Danny and his friends anxiously awaited the weekend and, of course, the boring week at school only compounded their eagerness to get started. They knew that because the following week included Thanksgiving, this would be the only chance they would get before Tucker and Sam's families left for their out-of-town plans…

Finally, it was Friday! The three had agreed to get prepared and go to bed as soon as possible, then leave for Shadow's End very early the next morning. If all went well, they would be back by supper. But even though they seemed to have it all together, they were still so anxious about everything that they all had a restless night. The messages on the scrolls kept whirling in their minds and until they figured it out, the riddle would haunt them.

Finally, eternity passed; and Saturday snuck in so quickly that the sun hadn't had a chance to announce it yet when Danny woke. He was ready in a hurry and then impatiently watched the clock. Finally, he thought it was late enough to head toward Tucker's. He transformed into his alter ego, put his backpack on, and soared out of his room.

He was at Tucker's in no time and quickly reverting back to his human form, he knocked on the front door. Tucker's father, still in his PJ's, groggily answered the door.

"Uhm, good morning, Mr. Foley," Danny said nervously. "Tucker did tell you we were leaving early, didn't he?"

"Oh, yes, he did," Mr. Foley concurred. "It's just that my body is rebelling against me right now. I never command it to get up this early on the weekend! Come on in, Danny!" The man quickly returned to the table and to his hot coffee.

Danny, chuckling slightly at the man's comment, said, "Well, thanks the same for letting me in and letting him go."

But Tucker's father didn't answer. When Danny turned to see why, the man was sitting at the table snoring on propped arms, with his eyes half-opened.

Danny tiptoed out and then headed right to Tucker's room. He knocked and said, "Tucker, it's me, Danny!"

"C'mon in, I'm...almost…ready," Tucker answered, his voice sounding frustrated and strained.

Danny, a little worried about how Tucker sounded, morphed back to his ghostly form and hurriedly phased in. Tucker was struggling with a very heavy backpack. But he was having very little success hoisting it over his shoulders; and after still another attempt, he inadvertently dropped the heavy load. It made a very loud thud when it fell to the floor again. Danny floated over to him and easily picked up the backpack with one hand and held it out to his friend.

"Show off!" Tucker teased, grabbing it, only to have it pull him forward as it dropped to the floor again.

"Well, if you'd rather do it yourself," Danny teased back.

"No, that's all right! You can show off a little!" Tucker laughed as Danny picked up the load again and helped Tucker put it over his shoulders. Suddenly, Tucker began to ooze backward slightly with the weight. He quickly righted himself.

"What's in there, anyway?" Danny asked.

"Well, we're going to be gone all day, aren't we? I want to make sure that I—I mean, **we-**- have enough food for the whole day!" Tucker answered, re-righting himself a little.

"But, geez, Tuck, did you have to pack the whole refrigerator?"

"Very funny," Tucker said, trying to keep a straight face but having a hard time of it now that he was wobbling a little with the weight. Thinking that it would be nice to have a ladder to help support him like the last time he had even more weight on his back, he shifted a little again and said, "It's just that my mom only has regular cans of stuff, not snack-size ones and I brought what I felt we needed."

"Which means that all you have are less—and bigger--cans, not less weight," Danny pointed out. "Do you really think you need that much?"

"Well, it's not just for me!" Tucker insisted.

"OK, Tuck, I know and I appreciate it," his friend chuckled softly. "Uh, but just let me carry some of it too, OK?"

"Sure, thanks, dude," Tucker answered, relieved that his friend wasn't going to make him put any food back.

Danny quickly added some of the food to his backpack, completely squishing the sandwiches his mother had made him. He didn't tell his friend that he ended up carrying most of the weight.

"Ready?" Danny finally asked and Tucker nodded. Danny changed back to his human form. They grabbed Tucker's booster rocket—which the Fentons had given him to keep after the PGW-- and headed downstairs. They said their quick good-byes to Tucker's half-awake father, and left the house. Danny then changed back to his alter ego. They both agreed that it would be best not to turn the booster on until they could do it without being noticed, so Danny scooped up his friend and together the boys flew towards Sam's home. Before they knew it, they were at Sam's front door.

Danny then turned to Tucker and suggested, "I'd say that we just phase right to Sam's room, OK, Tuck? You know how her parents are!"

Tucker nodded just as Danny grabbed him again, made them both intangible and invisible, and flew up to Sam's room.

"Uh, you better let me handle this," Danny warned Tucker as they stood in front of Sam's door. "You know how she's so **not** a morning person!"

"You're braver than I thought!" Tucker teased as Danny lightly rapped on Sam's door.

There was no answer.

Danny repeated the knock and this time quietly said through the door, "Uh, Sam? It's Danny and Tucker! We're here, like we planned, remember?"

There was still no answer.

Danny looked at Tucker and Tucker at Danny, not sure of what to do. Waving his hands to indicate that he certainly wasn't going to offer to knock, Tucker remarked, "**You** volunteered, dude!"

But just before Danny attempted to knock again, the door swung wide open and the boys gasped in surprise.

"You're late!" Sam said cheerfully, as she sauntered out, fully dressed, refreshed and with backpack and rocket booster in place.

"Sam, you're awake!" Danny blurted out in surprise.

"Well, you did insist that I be ready, remember? And I was reading up on Ombre and can't wait to get going! So I set my alarm to five o'clock and my body, thinking it was still night, didn't object at all! So, let's go, OK?" She said, glancing lastly at Tucker.

Danny unwittingly winced when she indirectly mentioned the Book, but he hurriedly said instead, "Yes, we're ready! But don't you want to say 'goodbye' to your parents?" He then mentally sighed, relieved that she hadn't seen that fleeting change in his face.

Sam smirked a little. "I all ready did. But I don't think they noticed one way or the other. They're still in the kitchen and still in shock at seeing me up this early. I don't think they could handle it! But grandma knows that I'm going, so I'm sure they'll find out once they come back to reality!"

The boys chuckled at her comment. Then checking their rocket boosters again, Sam and Tucker walked up to Danny. He obligingly grabbed each of their hands, turned them all intangible and phased out of Sam's house.

Once outside, Danny soared quickly upward until they were high enough for Sam and Tucker to activate their rocket boosters without drawing attention to themselves.

And all three finally headed toward Shadow's End.


	10. Chapter 10 Trips and Trip Ups

**A/N: Not much more happened except that the friends are anxious to get going to Shade's End. So are ya ready for more action? I sure am! Well, here goes Chapter 10 with more action and some more of that angst creeping up…. Oh, well!! "IDNOAC" and Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 10—Trips and Trip Ups

In the meantime, Phasma was growing more impatient. Even though he knew he needed to go back to the beginning to search for the scrolls, he was still unable to make himself do it. But if he didn't soon, that would mean defeat; and he would not allow himself to be in that vulnerable position with the Spectre Elders. He hoped that he could retrieve the scrolls in secret and avoid that mess all together. Any showdown with that haughty lot would be a very unpleasant experience for him.

Still, he did not know how to start and could not help but lament losing the only means to finding out the truth of the Prophecy's Omen. But he knew he must do something and something soon, or else there would be consequences. If the Spectre discovered that the scrolls were lost through his fault, **that **omen would bring waves of repercussions. He would then be unable to quell the Spectre's discontent.

Suddenly, there was a light rap on his door. Phasma cleared his mind, steeled himself and uttered, "Enter!"

It was Jiva.

"Father!" she cooed, as she approached him.

He feigned a smile and said, "My dearest. I am preoccupied! What brings you here?"

She drifted right up to him and he did not prevent her from placing her hand on him. "I see….You are more than preoccupied. You are in turmoil."

"You know I have never been able to resist your power, my daughter. And now that you are aware of my mind, you know that this is serious. I will not be able to convince the Elders…"

But then he looked to his daughter in confusion when she suddenly laughed.

She calmed herself and looking back at him, smiled, "Do not worry, my father!! All is not lost! The scrolls have been found!"

"What! Why did not you tell me before?" her father hissed in sudden irritation.

"Because I do not know exactly where they are! I keep getting blocked and until the path is fully cleared, I will not be able to locate them. But be warned, Father! We have a new enemy. But he could also be our ally."

"What do you mean, Daughter?" Phasma said, suddenly losing his confidence when she touched him again.

"He is not like the Spectre of shadows that dwell around us. He is a shadow-of-the-flesh! The one who opposed us at the flesh-town. And he may be able to keep our house in the Prophesy."

"You do not speak of the gnat that we defeated at the flesh-town of Shadesville, do you?"

"Yes, Father, I do. He must be destined to meet us if he has the scrolls. We must see how he will serve us!"

"I will not hear of this, Jiva! I am the Prophesy!"

Jiva screamed silently to herself in frustration. She had her own plans about the flesh-shadow, but did not want her father to know. So, then, she had to make sure that it would go well with her father. Her words dripped like nectar from her mouth. "You are forever Prophesy, Father! But the flesh-shadow has the scrolls and for that, we must get to him."

She touched him again and he softened a little. "Perhaps you are right, my dearest. I will have him come, but only to serve me until I be rid of him."

"If that be his destiny!" she assuredly cooed to him. "But tell me your mind, Father, and perhaps would that be that it is in our interest to send some Spectre spies to the flesh-towns we have been to? That way, if the scrolls show up in either place, we will know and be able to get them and stop the shadow-of-the-flesh."

Phasma thought a moment and then answered, "You do our house honor, Daughter! And these flesh-creatures are no match for us! I will..."

She again interrupted him, and her honey-laden words were as just as sweet, "May I do you the honor of tending to this matter for you? You need not be any more troubled by it. We will have victory!"

"As you wish, Jiva," her father sighed. He could never deny her anything.

She smiled again and quickly summoned several of the Spectre soldiers to the room. After getting a nod of approval from the Prophesy, they listened carefully to Jiva as she instructed them on what to do...

She left for her room, satisfied. Once there, she drifted to her mirror and she smiled at herself. She deserved him. She knew that she would find him once her mind path was clear….

* * *

After a couple hours of flight, the trio finally spied the outskirts of the city of Shadow's End. All the while they mulled over the clues. They landed in a field nearby and consulted a map that Sam had gotten from a travel agency.

Looking over the map, Danny said, "According to this, there should be a river cutting through the middle of the city…"

"And according to this travel guide, Ombre's pier should be close to the mouth of the river…," Sam began, and then added, "...but it's not specific where. In fact, it says here it's only a legend and no one has ever found it." She looked up in disappointment.

But Danny, hearing only the first part of what Sam said, suddenly exclaimed, "Mouth! Tucker, can you read the riddle again…uhm, the last two stanzas, that is? We all ready know about the pier."

Tucker slowly read,

"River to ocean  
Ocean to sea  
Pay attention most  
Eight paces from alee"

"From North of the mouth  
East is always best  
Eight paces South  
Look to the West."

Danny continued, "OK, then now we can just go to the mouth of the river, and…."

"No, we can't," Sam objected. "We have to start at the pier."

"Why?" Tucker countered. "The second stanza doesn't mean anything."

"Then, why is it there?" she challenged.

"To confuse us!" Tucker answered.

"No, it's what we should do at the pier!" the girl insisted.

"Well, you might just be right, Sam," Danny agreed, yielding to her logic. "Then, there might be some remnants of the old pier. So, let's go find that pier."

* * *

They soared back in the air, searching for the river. Finally, Tucker pointed it out and they then looked for its mouth. This time, Sam spied it first and alerted the boys.

Finally, they drew closer to each other and Danny said, "OK, guys, we need to slow down and look for the pier."

They had continued for a few more minutes when Tucker yelled, "There it is!" He pointed to a small pier in the distance.

"But, then, what about that pier over there?" Sam objected, pointing to still another pier nearing them.

"And look! There's another one!" Danny said, motioning to still another pier.

They all landed near the last one and looked at each other in disappointment.

"And I thought this was going to be easy!" Danny said, discouraged.

"Well, it is supposed to be a legend, or maybe the ruins are all ready covered up," Tucker said, repeating what he had heard from Sam's report. Then he added, "Would it help if we read the first stanza again?"

"Why not?" Danny muttered, not really caring either way at this point.

Tucker turned on his PDA, searched a little and then slowly said,

"Beginning of the Spectre  
Close to the pier  
Birthplace of Ombre  
Glimmering and sheer."

The boys looked at each other and shrugged.

But while Tucker was reading the stanza over, Sam had taken out the Book and was scanning quickly over it. Just before the boys looked at her for her reaction, she glanced up from the Book and said, "Who knows which pier it might be? According to Libro, Ombre lived over two hundred years ago and, …."

"Libro? Who's that?" Danny interrupted, unconsciously glancing down at the Book.

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Sam sheepishly remarked, noticing the familiar look on Danny's face whenever he saw the Book. "That's the Book's name!"

"Name? You named him, uh, it? I don't even name my PDA's!" Tucker blurted out.

They all looked at each other again in silence, feeling a very unwelcomed feeling creep up their spines once more.

"And how did you find out its name?" Danny asked, a little too tersely. Even though he and Sam were seeing and talking with each other more normally, he still hadn't fully resolved "the Book" matter.

Sam hesitated. They all were getting along just fine until now. And now, she wished she had never blurted out the Book's name. But she, underneath, wanted to resolve this issue once and for all. And that would mean letting them know everything, including some of the secrets she had kept for several months. She hesitated again, and then made her decision. "Well," she slowly answered, "I need to tell you both something…." She paused again and then pressed on, "He didn't always, well, communicate with me before--except by shuddering, which you both know about. And he was a special kinda…" She swallowed and surprising herself, changed her train of thought. "Uhm, he had told me a while back that he had a name…He told me that by **writing** to me. I didn't know he could even do that until…the Shadesville thing…"

The boys didn't respond and she got more nervous. But she really did want to have them finally understand and get through this. But all this 'feeling' sharing was still so hard for her. After all, she had had to hide them for so long that she now just didn't know **how **to do it. But she continued, "But he didn't have a chance to tell me because of the Shadesville thing…and...and…" Suddenly, she noticed her breathing had increased and her eyes began to water. She didn't want to lose it. And she just knew they thought she was sounding ridiculous.

She made herself press on, and this time the boys finally noticed how difficult this was for her and were looking a little more sympathetically at her. After all, she was really trying. "Uhm, anyhow, he said he had a name and I asked what it was and he suddenly changed his mind and said I should name him and so I just suggested "Libro" which is Spanish for "book", you know."

"Yes, I know. I was in the same class," Danny dryly remarked.

"Anyhow, he thought it was a good enough name," she replied back, not even noticing Danny's tone this time. But her eyes no doubt conveyed her distress over the whole thing.

They all looked at each other again in silence, longer than they normally would. Then, knowing that this could get even worse or that they could get on with the matter at hand, Danny finally said as casually as he could, "OK. Now we know! So, then, what does, uhm, 'Libro' make of all this riddle stuff?" But his tone still rang with a touch of sarcasm when he said the name 'Libro'. He really wanted to work this through, too, but it was still a thorn in his side.

This time Sam noticed that, and even though her first reaction was to answer him back with more sarcasm, she wanted an 'out' so bad right now that she nervously uttered instead, "Uhm, that's a good idea. Let's see!"

She opened Libro and said a little sheepishly, "OK, Libro, what does this mean?" And she read the first stanza of the scroll to him.

Danny and Tucker just stared at her and the book, uh, Libro.

Nothing appeared on the page.

"Okay," Sam murmured, now a lot more embarrassed about this whole predicament she had gotten herself into. But she pressed on. "How about: Reference: Famous ghosts: Ombre." The chapter about Ombre reappeared, but it was the same information she was about to tell the boys before her blunder.

Not wanting to admit her mistake and getting cold feet about explaining Libro right now—but also thinking that she wouldn't be able to bluff her way out it-- she finally and begrudgingly admitted, "Well. OK. So I was wrong! Libro doesn't' know anything about a sheer and glimmering pier!"

The boys looked at her, slightly surprised that she would admit defeat. But before they could respond, she gasped just as another paragraph suddenly appeared under a smaller heading called "The Glimmering Spectral Pier"! "Ohmigosh! It's here!" she almost screamed. And with a slightly triumphant glint in her eye as she glanced at the boys, she added, "Thank you, Libro!"

Danny squelched his urge to smile at the news. He refused to give any credit to the book. But he was more interested in getting the puzzle solved than getting any more irritated. He responded, "OK. So what does it say?"

She began to read, "'The Spectral Pier' refers to the pier where Ombre began his rule over the Spectre." Sam paused and gasped, "Beginning of the Spectre…close to the pier…Birthplace of Ombre!...It's the lines from the riddle, guys!"

The boys had suddenly totally forgotten about their tiff about the book--again.

Getting more excited, all three now hung onto every word that Sam said. "Ombre had once been a great human leader in his day and, as a human, had gone by the name of Aaron Holton. It was at this pier that Aaron Holton was murdered during a pre-arranged meeting with a powerful politician. They were supposed to be negotiating about improving the working conditions of child laborers. But the meeting was a trap. The politician's henchmen knocked Aaron Holton out and threw him off the pier, where he drowned. Then the politician had the pier destroyed to hide any evidence of the murder. But soon afterward, a ghost-like pier suddenly appeared in its stead. The citizens of Shadow's End noticed **that** and when they investigated it, they found Aaron Holton's body, which led to the eventual trial and imprisonment of the evil politician…" She stopped at the next sentence and gulped, "That evil politician's name was Vance Masters!"

All three of them looked at each other with the same thought when they heard **that** name.

"Do you think.." Tucker began.

"No! That's just **too** coincidental," Danny interrupted, looking down and shaking his head while motioning a 'stop' sign with one of his hands, as if trying to push the thought out of his head.

"Anyway," Sam read a little more, looked up and then continued. "According to this, that same Spectral Pier--in all its glimmering and sheer glory--has appeared every night for the first three days under a full moon since Ombre's, uhm, Aaron Holton's murder."

Tucker immediately began to tap on his PDA. He laughed in triumph at his results. "Hey, we're in luck! Tonight is the third night of the full moon!"

"That's great!" Danny yelled in delight. "So then we have plenty of time until then. Why don't we look up some more about the town and those Holton and Masters guys at the nearest library?"

Both Tucker and Sam's eyebrows raised in astonishment at the exact same time. He actually **wanted** to do research.

Seeing the surprise in their faces, Danny knew what they meant and chuckled, "You know, I'm getting better at school, so the library and I have finally been introduced to each other! Now, let's call our parents and let them know we'll be later than we thought."

They made their quick calls—including Tucker's call to a certain girl—and scanned for a place to hide Sam and Tucker's rocker boosters until that evening. They found a place behind some dense bushes in a forest not too far from their designation. Danny then reverted back to his human form. And before they all headed toward the library, he opened his backpack and repacked only what they all would need later for lunch, plus a little extra for Tucker, of course. And they left the rest of their supplies at this hidden place...

* * *

And while Jiva's plan to have spies in Shadow's End was in motion, the three friends had agreed to split up in the library. Danny would research the geography, Sam, Aaron Holton and Tucker, Vance Masters.

But what the trio didn't notice was that the librarian was making a secret phone call just after Sam and Tucker had asked for her help in finding out any information on those two past citizens of Shadow's End.

Danny quickly found the book he needed and started to scan it. He easily found the mouth of the river and confirmed what the travel guide map had shown him. It still showed the large mound of earth with multiple caves in it on the eastern side of the mouth of the river. Flipping through the pages again, he saw that Shadow's End had a large number of parks in it. And all of them came in various sizes and shapes. But they were all over the place. And he thought Amity Park had a lot of parks! The footnote at the bottom of this particular page informed the reader that Shadow's End boasted of more parks than any other town in the state. Aaron Holton had pushed for more parks so that the children and their children's children would always have a place to play, especially since they would no longer be forced to labor before their time. Danny looked up in thought. Aaron Holton must have been a very special man.

Meanwhile, Sam and Tucker had finished their research on said Aaron Holton and Vance Masters just as Danny had completed his own investigation.

"Are you two ready?" he asked. "I'm starving, aren't you? How about some lunch?"

Tucker's eyes brightened as he replied, "You don't have to say that twice, dude!"

When they reached the outside of the library, Danny said, pointing the way, "There's a public park just a little over a block from here."

Sam and Tucker nodded and they all headed in that direction. But just as they were walking past an alley, three sets of strong, harsh arms grabbed them and before they could scream, handkerchiefs laden with a strange substance covered their mouths.

And just before he was grabbed, Danny's ghost sense was triggered, but he saw only blackness as the handkerchief firmly snuffed out his yell.


	11. Chapter 11 Heating Up

**A/N: Hope you are enjoying the story so far!! Now what's happened? Oh, yeah: Jiva is up to something. Danny, Sam and Tucker went to Shadow's End and found out that the pier had to do with someone called Ombre, who used to be human. But then, others were also interested… And, of course, "IDNOAC". Here is Chapter 11…Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 11—Heating Up

The trio found themselves with their arms and eyes bound and mouths gagged, bouncing roughly in the back of a large moving truck. None of them knew if they were even with the others, as they had been purposely separated from each other.

All three instantly began to struggle against their bindings, but stopped when they heard a harsh male voice command, "There is no use struggling, you little trouble makers! The mistress does not like strangers coming around and finding out stuff that is not their business!"

The man's words grew louder as Danny's ghost sense riveted his senses. Hundreds of thoughts flooded Danny's clearing mind. _"Good! Sam and Tucker are here, too! But what does he mean? Why should he care what we're doing? And why is my ghost sense going off? But, still, until I can see where Sam and Tucker are, I can't chance 'going ghost' right now. But I got to do something soon!"_

He decided to try making at least the bindings on his eyes intangible. When this was accomplished, he slowly opened his eyes just wide enough to make out his surroundings. There was only one burly man aiming a flashlight toward one of the other corners of the truck. The light shined on Tucker! And then the flashlight jolted to the corner right next to that one and there was Sam! But both of them were still struggling with their bonds.

"I said, 'Stop that!'" The man growled, getting up and heading toward Sam.

Danny's mind jolted to high alert now. He couldn't wait any longer, especially when his ghost sense repeated its warning. The blinding light of his two bluish-white transformation rings made the man scream in terror, but it was not half as terrorizing than for the man to find himself thrust outside the van and now hanging for dear life onto the tree the truck just passed.

Danny hurriedly soared back to the moving truck, and phasing into it, rescued Sam and Tucker. He quickly phased back out with his friends, and flew to a nearby forest, where he rapidly landed with his still bound friends. He then just as quickly made them both intangible until all their bindings fell off.

"Are you all right?" he anxiously asked them while instinctively pulling Sam to him and giving her a big hug in relief when she—and Tucker--nodded.

"What was that all about?" Tucker blurted out.

"That's what I like to know!" Danny replied. "Who cares if we looked up stuff about this city? And my ghost sense went off three times, but I didn't see any ghost in the truck." He abruptly stopped at his next thought. "He must have been overshadowed! And there might have been another ghost in the alley where we got grabbed, but I'm not sure since I got knocked out."

"We were, too!" Sam said, her face scrunched up in worry. "This can't be good!"

They all looked at each other now that the excitement of this adventure had turned to fear.

Finally, Tucker couldn't stand it any longer and said, "I totally agree with you about what's happening, but can we now pay attention to more pressing issues; namely, I'm starved! And where are we?"

That first remark helped calm his friends and Danny answered him with a sigh and slight chuckle, "You're right, Tucker! I think we're all starved! This is as good any place to make eating our lunch priority number one!"

His friend smiled widely in response.

Fortunately, all three still had their backpacks on. Danny took off his just as he changed back to his human form. They laid out the blanket that Danny had also brought and then relished their late lunch more than they thought they would.

"Well, maybe we should find out where we are, huh?" Tucker finally said, as they began to clean up from the much needed meal.

"You're right, Tuck," Danny agreed. "But before we go trying to find that out, how about we compare notes on what we found out in our research?"

* * *

And while the three human friends were discussing their results, Johnny 13 and his Shadow ghost were also comparing notes.

"What do you mean he had the scrolls?" Johnny 13 yelled. He had never been this rattled about anything before, well, except maybe for when he was fighting with his girlfriend.

"I do not know how he got them, but I had them in my hands before the mother of the Phantom destroyed them! I was not even looking for **them **but there they were! But he could not have possibly been able to read them; and why—or how--he got them I do not know," Shadow answered. "I am telling you, Johnny, we need to find a new lair!"

"Now, we've talked about this before, dude," the biker answered, trying to sound calmer now in order to assure his friend. "We have been in this place a **very** long time and no one, not even Kitty, knows where this is! We just have to keep cool and…"

"But now might be the time!" Shadow insisted. "And I am not sure if I can do this!"

Johnny 13 floated to his friend and placed his arm on the Spectre's shoulder. "Look, my friend, we will worry about that when—and if--the time does come. The Prophecy did not say when--or even who-- and we aren't even sure if it's all something to get all riled up about!! You know how rumors can start about these kinds of things! The scrolls had been lost, like, forever and we don't even know if these are the **real **ones, so let's cool it, OK?"

Shadow frowned, unconvinced about his friend's obvious attempt to close the subject.

The biker continued, "In the meantime, we have been through way too much to let this eat at the both of us. We will wait, like we always have."

* * *

After sharing their reports, all three friends sat in silence, frowning in disappointment. The information Sam and Tucker were able to get did not tell them any more than they all ready knew about the two humans of Shade's End and the Spectral Pier.

"Maybe they didn't want us to know anymore," Sam finally said. "I mean, if that man in the truck had been overshadowed, why couldn't others be, too? No one else knew who we were or why we were in the library. Maybe someone in the library had been overshadowed!"

"That would make sense. What do you think, Tuck?" Danny asked, turning to his friend.

"I agree with Sam!" Tucker noted with a nod toward the girl. "That's seems like the only logical explanation."

"Well, then, we all agree. So let's get to the next matter at hand, and that's finding out where we are!" Danny announced. He quickly transformed back into his alter ego, grabbed his friends and soared high into the sky. Hovering in mid-air, all three scanned the horizon.

Suddenly, the sky in the distance began to darken but all three friends immediately noticed that there were no clouds. Danny's ghost sense reacted in high gear.

"Oh, man! The last time this happened was at the game! It must be the Spectre!" Danny gasped as he looked toward the mass.

Suddenly, one of the Spectre spotted them, and called out an alarm; and the other shadow ghosts started after them.

"W-what are we going to do?" Tucker stuttered, noticing that Danny was unsettled by the phenomenon.

Danny turned all three invisible and intangible and quickly whispered, "Hide and pray!" They all immediately soared downward and landed in a more thickly forested field.

"I can't fight them all," Danny admitted as they crouched behind some thick bushes. They were still intangible but Danny's ghost sense kept screaming out its warning as the mass of shadow ghosts frantically hunted for them.

All of a sudden, a couple of rattlesnakes slithered out of a hole right next to Tucker's feet. He was about to yell just when he saw them when Sam, who had also seen the snakes, placed her hand over his mouth and harshly whispered right into his ear, "They can't hurt us! We're intangible and invisible, remember?"

He nodded and sighed quietly; and she removed her hand. But he still sweated as the snakes slithered through his feet and continued on their way.

Just then, Sam and Tucker heard an angry female voice hiss,

"Look more, you fools  
I felt him near  
Search thoroughly now  
They must be here!"

Danny understood what she said, but his friends did not. But all three were surprised that there was a female among the others and chanced trying to spy to see who that was.

An obviously younger, smaller Spectre with flaming red hair and red claws was leading the large group of shadow ghosts. From her size and youthful features, she could have been a little older than they if she were human. Danny jolted a little, as she seemed strangely familiar. He wasn't sure how and scrunched his face, trying to think where he had seen her. But then he heard her say, "I do not care what you do to the two flesh-creatures—especially the puny female. But I want the shadow-of-the-flesh, do you hear?" He saw her eyes flame at the last command.

"Yes, Princess," the others murmured and bowed; and they continued to search.

To Sam and Tucker's relief, the creatures started to leave the area, but Danny was straining to remember where he had seen this Spectre before. And at that precise moment, Jiva jolted back toward all three again, sensing him. Sam then shuddered in fear at the look of evil she saw in Jiva's face. Danny felt her quiver. He immediately put his arm around her and gave her a slight hug in reassurance. Jiva then stopped and seemed confused again. But she drifter nearer the trio's hiding place and Danny squeezed Sam closer, and all three friends held their breath as the female Spectre passed them.

After several more minutes when the Spectre searched farther away from them but within sight and earshot, the black mass finally left after being harshly reprimanded by the female Spectre. The three friends waited even longer to make sure they were alone.

Finally, Danny glided upward with Sam and Tucker and headed toward a clearing. After they landed, they rematerialized and Sam finally uttered, "Who was that?"

"I don't know!" Danny stammered. "But somehow, she looked familiar. She looks a lot like their leader, Phasma; but of course, he's a male and much bigger! But the other Spectre called her 'princess'. And they were looking for a 'shadow-of-the-flesh', whatever that is!

Tucker, reflecting on what the shadow ghosts had called the female one, commented, "Well, since you said they called her 'princess', and that she looked like that Phasma dude, maybe she's this Phasma's daughter?"

"Maybe. But I certainly don't like her!" Sam huffed.

"And I don't like the fact that they were looking for us! Maybe they know we have the scrolls?" Danny offered.

"How?" Sam objected. "You said that Phasma didn't notice them when they fell."

"I don't know how!" Danny admitted, throwing his hands up in frustration. "But then we had better decipher them fast! This is getting more and more serious."

They all searched the others' faces. They knew Danny was right! Then Danny added, "In the meantime, then, we'd better find out where we are and keep a low profile until tonight, OK?"

His friends nodded and then grabbing each by the waist, the young hybrid turned them all intangible and invisible again and soared upward. But they saw nothing but forest all around them as they searched.

"Let's go a little higher," Danny suggested and when they looked then, they spied in the distance the outskirts of some kind of town to their right. Looking to the sun, Danny figured that it was west to where they were. Danny immediately began to soar toward it.

"I hope that's Shadow's End," Tucker remarked.

"Well, if we can find out what city it is, we can use the map to find out where we are," Sam replied.

When they had finally reached the edge of town, Danny steered them toward one of the main roads and smiled when the sign near it announced, "Welcome to Shadow's End".

"Good! We weren't too far away after all," Danny uttered as they landed by the sign and turned them all solid and visible again. Then he added, "Well, don't you think we should get the rocket boosters? They're on the eastern end of town, and we'll need them for tonight."

"I'm all for it!" Tucker said with an anxious frown. "I want to get out of this place right away as soon as we figure out the clues. This is one inhospitable town!"

Sam and Danny both grinned at their friend. Then with no further ado, Danny scooped them up again and they headed toward the other side of town. They quickly located their hiding place and sighed in relief that the rocket boosters were still where they had left them. Tucker was glad that the food was also still there.

Tucker and Sam strapped their boosters on and looked to their friend as they activated them. Danny reached for their hands and made them all intangible and invisible once more as they headed to the river. But he landed quite a distance from the mouth.

"Why don't we get closer?" Sam asked, turning off her booster.

Danny answered with a worried frown, "I don't think we should until tonight. I have a strange feeling that those shadow ghosts might be hanging around, too. After all, they had the clues first."

"Then how are we going to investigate the area if they're still there tonight?" Tucker moaned.

"Maybe we could stake it out?" Sam suggested. "That way we'll know if there are any Spectre there and how we're going to deal with them."

"Great idea, Sam! Will you both be all right until I get back?" Danny asked them.

His friends nodded and Danny, turning invisible and intangible again, began to head toward the river. But just before he was out of earshot, he heard Tucker call, "You know, be careful, dude!"

"I will!" Danny called back, and increased his speed toward the river.


	12. Chapter 12 On the Brink

**A/N: So far: The trio escaped their capture by overshadowed humans and then narrowly escaped capture by Jiva and her little band. Now, the friends know they have to find where the pier is , and that's exactly where Danny is heading. Hope you're still enjoying this story!! And I dedicate this chapter to crazyvi in honor of her birthday, which was on February 13th. Happy Birthday, my friend!! IDNOAC, of course, and now here's Chapter 12—Enjoy!!! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 12—On the Brink

Danny slowed his flight to a crawl as the mouth of the river loomed ahead. Maintaining his invisibility, the teen strained to see if anything looked awry in the surrounding area. He could see the series of caves imbedded in the large land mass on the east bank, while the west bank was dotted sparsely with piers, their corresponding homes hidden by tall dense brush. Then, as he flew further on, he noticed that the western bank no longer had any piers at all. From all the overgrowth and wildness of the area, it looked to him as if civilization had ignored this part of the river. Finally, the boy could see that there was slight bend in the river just ahead, and from afar it reminded Danny of the letter "C".

As he floated along the eastern end and neared a cave, his ghost sense was triggered. Though he was still invisible, he instinctively dove into that cave and peeked out. Scanning across and slightly up river, he knew that his ghost sense had not let him down.

There on the western end without a pier in sight were a couple of dozen Spectre. They seemed to be just milling aimlessly around, but Danny immediately thought out his hunch, _"I'm sure they're not in the middle of nowhere just to hang out! That has to be where the Spectral Pier will appear tonight! But how are we going to get them away from there?"_ He looked around for anything around the shadow ghosts that could help him. All he could see were lots of dense brushes and some clumps of trees a little inland from where the pier might be and further thick vegetation just downstream from the same riverbank. There were also small slow-turning eddies dotting the river in this area, undoubtedly created by the bend in the river, which was probably one of the reasons this part had not been developed. He could not see beyond the tight bend in the "C" because of even thicker overgrowth. _"Well, at least we have a little heads-up about the pier!"_ He looked up; and seeing that the sun was beginning to set, he added, _"It's time to get back to Sam and Tucker. We'll think of something, I'm sure. But first…" _He spied a stick and carefully and quietly dug into the soft sand in front of the cave. Satisfied that he had made a clear mark for reference, he silently headed back.

By the time he did get back to his friends, it was starting to get dark. He quickly told them about the Spectre, the mark he left in front of the cave, and his assumption that the shadow ghosts were guarding the place where the Spectral Pier had to be.

"A couple of dozen, hmm?" Tucker mused, mulling an idea around. "How about me using the flash of light trick on my PDA to drive them away until we can figure out the riddle?"

"Or how about using one of the rocket boosters?" Sam suggested.

"What?" Both Tucker and Danny said together.

"We could use it to distract them! It does create a very loud noise when it's on full throttle," she added.

"Actually, both of your ideas are great!" Danny replied, and Tucker turned to him and frowned in confusion. "We can tie the booster to a tree, turn it on full throttle, and hopefully they'll go investigate it. If there are any Spectre left, then Tucker and I could take them out.

"But where are we going to get some rope?" Tucker asked.

Danny pulled off his backpack and whipped out some rope. Smirking, he answered, "It's always good to have a ghost-fighting mom packing your backpack for you!"

Both of his friends chuckled slightly.

"Well, the plan may work," Sam agreed.

"I agree," Tucker added. "But in the meantime, don't you think we could eat a little something? My stomach is on '**overtime** empty'. How about dinner?"

His friends softly laughed and nodded. Tucker had brought more than enough food! They spread their blanket down and enjoyed their dinner.

By the time they had finished eating and repacking, it was totally dark.

Turning to Tucker, Sam remarked, "I thought you said that there would be a full moon tonight."

"There is!" Tucker insisted. Then looking and pointing upward, he added, "But I can see why we can't see the moon—it's cloudy!"

Sam and Danny immediately glanced up and confirmed what he saw.

"Darn it! We might not be able to see the Spectral Pier after all," Danny said in frustration.

All their shoulders drooped in disappointment.

Just then, however, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, lifting their spirits again.

"Well, maybe we'll still get the chance," Sam said as she strapped on her rocket booster.

"And I say we take it!" Tucker announced, as he strapped his own booster on.

Danny smiled at their determination. It was something they all shared and clung to throughout all their adventures. He finally replied, "Ok, guys, I'm with you! But let's stay invisible until we can set up that distraction."

He reached for each of their hands and readily getting them, he turned them all invisible. They headed quite a bit north of the mouth of the river but still south of the pier. When they thought they were as near as they could be without being detected, they landed behind some of the dense bushes nearby. They could see the shadow ghosts in the near distance, just a little more north of where the trio was.

Even though they knew their voices wouldn't carry toward the ghosts because they were down wind, they did not chance making any more noises.

"Oh, man!" Danny lowly hissed. "They're still there! I was hoping they would be gone and we could have used the marker I made at the cave for reference."

"Well, at least you had a 'back-up' plan, just in case," Tucker whispered back.

Danny smiled at his friend's comment. "Thanks, Tuck. Now let's get our _other_ 'back up' plan ready."

They nodded silently to each other to signal that they knew this would be a good place to set up the distraction. They quickly tied Sam's booster to a nearby tree.

"But how are we going to turn it on if we're at the Spectral Pier?" Sam whispered, suddenly realizing she hadn't thought about that little detail.

"Leave that to me!" Tucker said with a smug smile and a hushed voice, taking his cue from Sam to keep everything as quietly as possible. He quietly hooked up his PDA to the rocket booster and began to program it.

"Wow! What that little PDA can do is still mighty impressive," Sam whispered to Tucker with a grin.

Tucker smiled, happy that Sam had finally admitted something nice about his obsession. He, too, continued to be impressed by the PDA he had "inherited" from Skultech. In no time, he had programmed his wondrous little machine and the booster.

Seeing that Tucker was through, Danny quietly said, "Let's get a little further away. I want to check on something, OK?"

His friends again nodded and Danny quickly scooped them up and headed just a little more south. He landed in an area that had more bushes, which would give them extra cover to dampen their voices.

"OK, guys, you know that we won't have much time once the booster goes off, so let's read over the second part of the clue again so that we'll be ready to look for anything and everything when we get to the pier. And I think we need to leave your booster here, Tuck. We'll have to be as quiet and light as possible.

Tucker nodded and removed his booster. Then he pushed a few buttons on his PDA and read:

"River to Ocean  
Ocean to sea  
Pay attention the most  
Eight paces from the alee."

"OK. The 'river to ocean, ocean to sea' thing must refer to the mouth of the river, do we all agree?" Danny asked, looking to each of his friends.

"Yes," they both said at the same time.

Danny added. "But we should pay attention to the alee, which is the area away from the wind. Which would be away from the wind side of the pier."

Sam's eyes widened in amazement.

Noticing her reaction, he grinned, "Yes, I looked it up when we were at the library!" He continued, "Now, eight paces from the wind…" he looked up, watching the surrounding vegetation. He quickly added, "The wind is blowing south, so eight paces **south** of the pier is where we need to look."

"Hey, that makes sense! Tucker piped in. "That would put us nearer to the mouth of the river! That has to be right!"

Both he and Danny looked to Sam. She smiled and said, "Well, it does sound logical. It's about the best guess we can come up with."

"Good! Then, are we ready?" Danny asked them. "We will have to get very close and so we won't be able to speak to each other at all. We can't take the chance on getting their attention." He looked up at the still cloudy sky. "And let's hope we don't have to wait too long for the moon to come out."

He waited for them to nod their head in agreement before the ghost hybrid grabbed his friends by their waists, made them all intangible and invisible, and headed to where the shadow ghosts were.


	13. Chapter 13 The Spectral Pier

**A/N: So how goes it so far? Danny, Sam and Tucker are now headed to where they think the pier is. Only one problem, though: the Spectre are guarding it. Oh, and here is the first chapter that is a little intense IMO, but not too intense. If you don't want to read it, scroll down and I'll summarize it for you, K? Remember that IDNOAC…And now here is Chapter 13…Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 13—The Spectral Pier

The invisible trio neared the shadow ghosts. Danny got them closer and hovered just above where the shadow ghost sentries were, silently and anxiously waiting for the moon to come out. But it didn't look like that was going to happen any time soon, and the Spectre began to take it easy, eventually letting their guard down. Finally, the moon wrestled an opening from the clouds and a large beam escaped. The three friends had to still their gasps of awe when the pier suddenly materialized.

It was beautiful in all its eeriness. Its slowly moving wave of green shimmering haze enveloping the top of the ghostly pier reminded the friends of long flowing hair. And as if the pier was throwing its head back with a tease, the haze beckoned the eye to behold the pier's glimmering dress of light. Suddenly, the silent soft glide of the moon's light-filled fingertips played over it, and when it did, the green pier shuddered in delight under the moonlight's soft, rippling caress.

The trio was awestruck.

Still, it was not a large pier at all. In fact it was neither very long nor very wide. And if you weren't looking closely enough, a passing boat would mistake it for algae-induced mist stirred up by the nearby eddy. Its green and shimmering planks jutted only about twenty feet over the river, widening to about one-fourth that length over the river. The walkway was no more than three feet wide and only just touched the riverbank. And overall it rose only a foot above the quietly lapping waves of the river.

Long slender river reeds outlined the entire pier, and the plants not only reflected the eerie light, but they also seemed to be part of it.

The Spectre, however, did not seem at all impressed as they floated or lay about in boredom.

Danny knew this was the chance they needed to take, "OK, Tuck, it's time!" he hurriedly whispered to his friend.

Tucker quickly obliged him and the next thing they heard was the loud explosion of the rocket booster as its thrusters jolted to life.

The shadow ghosts instantly bolted out of their stupor and several of them headed to investigate the loud noise, leaving only a handful of guards at the pier.

"OK, here we go!" Danny uttered quietly to Sam and Tucker as they began to quickly float downward. He just as quickly deposited Sam on the south end of the pier and still invisible, headed with Tucker toward the handful of shadow ghosts in the near distance who had been left behind. Before the shadow ghosts could react, Danny had frozen some of them in place just as Tucker chased after a few others, attacking them with the strong light from his PDA. Any Spectre engulfed by the beam from the PDA was jolted back to the Ghost Zone.

In that short while, Sam had hurriedly run to the edge of the pier and tracked out eight paces south from it. She turned to scan all around this point, and especially toward the pier when all of the sudden, before Danny could meet back up with either Tucker or Sam, the moonlight was extinguished by the clouds once more.

"Oh, no!" Sam gasped as she and her friends were thrust back into total blackness and the spectral pier disappeared. She did not hesitate to sink the heel of her boot into the soft sand, carving a deep "X" in the ground so that they could see it when the moonlight returned.

Suddenly, the cry of the returning shadow ghosts rang throughout the air. They had been alerted by the light from Tucker's PDA and the sounds coming from the pier.

"Sam! Tucker! Where are you?" Danny cried, charging up his hand. But before his friends could answer, the teen's ghost sense alerted him a bit too late and he was suddenly grabbed from behind by the forceful angry hands of one of the Spectre.

"Let go of me!" the hybrid demanded as he struggled and twisted his body violently around. He immediately fired an ice ray from his eyes which quickly froze his attacker. But then, the young ghost was hit in the chest by several large black rays all at once. He screamed in intense pain as the beams jolted throughout his body. He immediately lost consciousness, reverting back to his human form just as he plummeted down to the ground. But the force of his hard fall was cushioned by the soft sand he plowed into, keeping his unconscious human form from further harm.

Meanwhile, Tucker, who had been too far from Danny when his friend was attacked, was very busy himself. He hacked fervently on his PDA, striking each attacking shadow ghost accurately and effectively with a beam of light. And with each blow from his wondrous little machine, another battered and shrieking Spectre was thrust back into the Ghost Zone.

Sam, too, had been under attack by the Spectre, but she had grabbed a large piece of nearby driftwood and was swinging madly in the darkness. All her attempts at hitting her attackers were futile and several of the shadow ghosts around her taunted her efforts.

One of the Spectre laughed and said to the others:

"Is it not our delight  
For the fool flesh-blood to see  
That she cannot outfight  
We the Spectre Mighty?!"

"Don't know what all your poetry means—and don't care this time that I do!" Sam yelled through gritted teeth as she still swung wildly at the shadow ghosts.

Tucker was finally able to rid the area he was in of all the other shadow ghosts. Turning back and shining his light toward the river, he gasped when his beam caught sight of Sam's dilemma. Several of the Spectre who had been toying with her began to descend upon her, with their claws in ready attack. _"Where's Danny?"_ he frantically thought, searching as he increased the intensity of his light beam. Worried at not seeing his ghost friend but knowing that he needed to act right away, he quickly charged toward Sam's rescue. But he also knew he was still too far away.

"Sam, look out!" he desperately screamed while still running with his beam, warning her of her imminent assault.

Suddenly, her backpack flew open and her friend, Libro, bolted out of it. Immediately jerking his covers open, he discharged a beam of greenish-white light that was so intense that Tucker had to stop and shield his eyes. Sam also looked away as Libro's beams struck at each of the shadow ghosts, dispelling their forms so violently that Sam and Tucker could barely hear their painful shrieks as they phased back to the Ghost Zone. Then just as quickly, Libro dimmed, closed its covers and reverting back to its dull brown color, dropped to the ground.

Tucker maintained the light beam from his PDA but dampened its intensity a bit as he finished running up to Sam. "Are you all right?" he worriedly asked, trying to catch his breath.

"Yes, thanks to Libro! And you?"

"I'm fine, but I don't know where Danny is!" Tucker anxiously informed her.

"Danny!" she instantly yelled, desperately scanning all around them.

Tucker used his PDA like a flashlight and frantically searched the darkness. Finally, he jolted his beam back to where he thought he glimpsed something white. He held his aim and his heart leapt to his throat when he saw that it was Danny's shirt.

"Over there!" he frantically said, and Sam quickly grabbed Libro and chased after her beret-wearing friend. With Tucker leading the way, both of them ran up to their still unconscious friend, who was lying on his side. Tucker quickly pushed some buttons on his PDA which lit up the area a little enough for them to see their friend.

"Danny!" Sam fearfully said, as she gently put her hand on his shoulder. She relaxed a little when he groaned. But then she gasped in horror when she and Tucker helped turn him on his back. "Oh, no, Tucker! He's hurt bad!" They could see the large amount of green ghost blood—intermixed with some red human blood--oozing from the front of his shirt.

Danny groaned again and then started to get up but then fell down, shivering.

"Don't move, Danny! We're here!" Sam said gently but firmly when she saw that his movement caused more of his ghost blood to eke out, "You've been badly hurt but we'll take care of you!"

"Sam?" He was finally able to mutter, but he coughed on his words. "Where… are we… and where's…Tucker? And why do I feel so…so empty?"

"I'm here, dude," Tucker answered worriedly. "And you're pretty banged up. You got shot by...a lot of Spectre."

Danny suddenly shivered more violently and then his eyes flared green, "Spectre! Get away!" He flailed his arms out in front of him, barely missing hitting his friends.

"NO, Danny, it's us! Sam and Tucker!" Sam assured him, grabbing one of his hands.

But Danny screamed instead, "Sam! Tucker! It's so dark! I don't see you!! Oh, no, they're hurt and it's all my fault! Oh, why didn't I protect them?... I've failed them!...They depended on me and I've turned my back on them!"

He tried to get up again; and as his friends tried to get him to lie back down once more, they suddenly felt the warm wetness of his ghostly blood seeping onto their hands. They resisted the urge to loose it themselves and increased their efforts to make him lie still instead. "Please, Danny, you're bleeding badly! You have to lie down!" Sam pleaded, fighting her own fear as it crept up her spine.

But that only made the injured boy more desperate. He yelled once again, but his breathing was becoming ragged, "Leave me alone! You're hurting me! I've got to get out of here! There so many, too many! I can't fight them. I'm so weak!...But what have you done to my friends?"

Even in the total darkness, his friends could see the wildness in his flashing eyes as he continued to grapple with them, "Who are you? Why are you doing this? I need to get to my friends! And you're keeping me from them, you jerks!" He began to charge up balls of energy from his hands, aiming them right at his friends.

Sam and Tucker gasped but increased their efforts to hold him down even more, at least a little thankful that they didn't have to struggle with his ghost half at this moment.

As Danny wrestled more with his delirium and his friends, he said in a rasping, halting voice, "NO!... I won't let you!...SAM!...TUCKER!"

Suddenly, Danny's eyes rolled back and he was still again.

Sam and Tucker looked at him in shock, and they could feel their hearts and breathing increase in sudden terror.

"He's hardly breathing, Tucker!" Sam gasped.

"And now he's burning up!" Tucker announced after placing his hand on Danny's forehead. "We need to get help!"

"But I'm afraid to move him! And we don't have time! We have to do something now!" Sam screamed.

And they looked on helplessly at each other, suddenly paralyzed with panic.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**A/N: Here is the summary of this chapter: The friends got to the pier and set-up a distraction with Sam's booster, luring most of the Spectre away. As Sam tried to mark what was part of the clue, Danny and Tucker attacked the remaining Spectre. But the moonlight was masked by clouds and the Spectre returned, and hurt Danny very badly. Now he is delirious with fever and the effects of the Spectre black rays. **


	14. Chapter 14 A New Friendship

**A/N: Oh, those darn cliffies…But caught ya hangin' on, right? Still a little intense, but not as much. Well, here is Chapter 14 with the usual suspects: IDNOAC….And, of course, Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 14—A New Friendship

Suddenly, Libro began to shake.

"Can you help us, my friend?" Sam desperately yelled, tears all ready running down her face. And when he flew open his pages, she didn't hesitate to look down at them. She squinted to see the page he was showing, but Tucker's light was too far away. "Tucker, could you please bring your light closer?" she quickly asked. He didn't hesitate to oblige her and she saw that it was turned to chapter twenty-six, which was about ghost plants.

She hurriedly read out loud, "There are many kinds of plants that grow around haunted places. One of the most useful and effective ghost plants which can instantly cure open wounds of any ghost is the phragmite. The phragmite is a river reed with long thin leaves and large pollen pods. The pollen contained in each pod makes a rapid healing suave for ghost wounds and the leaves are highly effective bandages." Sam looked up and jolted at her next thought. "Tucker! I saw some of those reeds around where the pier was. Let's get some, quick!" she commanded.

Sam placed Libro gently on the ground next to Danny, and both she and Tucker bolted to where the pier had been. They hurriedly located several of the reeds, pulled them down and ran back. Fortunately, Libro had lit up the area again so they had no trouble finding their friend.

Tucker whipped out his pocket knife and cut open a pod. He felt his stomach turn and he had to swallow his dinner back down as he quickly poured its entire contents over Danny's wound and then did the same with another pod. Then he and Sam placed the leaves over the entire area and pulled Danny's shirt down around everything, leaf bandage and all. Tucker put the extra reed leaves and pods into his backpack. Then they sat down beside him and waited.

And then the moon came out again and spectral pier reappeared.

"Well, there it is!" Tucker quietly said. "I really don't care about it anymore."

"Yeah, me neither," Sam agreed, reaching over and touching Danny's forehead again. He was still burning with fever and his breathing was still shallow. She fought back more tears.

Tucker and Sam both drew their knees to their chests and wrapping their arms around their legs, lay their heads on their knees. The minutes dragged on. The bright moonlight bathed all the friends in silence.

Every once in a while, Danny would suddenly groan and mumble something, and Sam would immediately reach for his hand to calm him. Sometimes the words he uttered were understandable; but most of the time, they weren't. No matter what he mumbled, he would always shudder and sound upset when he said them. And it was clear to Sam that the words that she could understand were full of fear, confusion and doubt. She squeezed his hand harder when she heard those. And then he lay still again and she swallowed hard. And waited.

After over an hour, Danny suddenly began to stir again. "Uh, huh?" he groaned as he touched his chest and felt the leaves. "What the heck is **this**?"

"Danny!" Tucker and Sam both said in relief. But they were afraid to rush him.

He slowly sat up and started to pull out the reeds from under his shirt. "How—and why—did these get on me?" he asked, totally grossed out by the black ooze that coated the leaves.

"You got badly hurt by the Spectre," Tucker quietly told him.

His memory finally coming back into focus, Danny gasped and reinspected himself. He was healed! "But how?" he stammered, and then groaned again, reflexively holding his head. "But I still feel a little light-headed. I've never felt this way before after getting hit by all those black beams. It was like I was so empty. And I was falling out of control even though I knew I was lying still. I had strange, frightening thoughts, especially ones where I or even you both were being attacked by the Spectre, especially one in particular." He scrunched his face, trying to focus on who the 'one in particular' was. But he couldn't do it. He continued, "Uh, it's all a blur. And then all I could see was total blackness, as if I was both swallowed by it and a part of it. But I still felt totally frightened and lost, and totally helpless through it all…"

Sam and Tucker looked at him both in sympathy and relief. But their faces were still ashen.

Danny paused with the memory again and trying to calm his friends, added with a weak smile, "Uh, so can you remind me to make sure I put those black rays on top of my list of 'things to avoid'?"

But Sam and Tucker did not smile back; but they weren't angry. They were still upset about the whole episode.

Danny groaned again and repeated, "So, just how…."

"Uh, the Book saved you!" Sam squeamishly said.

"Yeah, he showed us how to cure you…We thought you were going to die!" Tucker added, his face still betraying his continuing anxiety.

Danny was silent for a moment. He agreed with Tucker. He, too, had thought he was going to die. Then he looked down at the Book lying silently next to him. He swallowed hard and then glanced up at Sam and smiled weakly again. "Well, uhm,.." he started and clearing his throat, looked back down at the book and sincerely said, "Thank you, Libro, for uuhm,…."

Libro interrupted him by shuddering intensely. Then he flipped his cover over and then closed it right away, as if he were waving and acknowledging Danny's sincere appreciation for what Libro had done for him. Danny chuckled a bit and that was all that was needed to finally 'break the ice' between them.

Danny turned to Sam and Tucker and quietly began to say, "Uhm, and thanks again, you guys."

And this time they smiled back and gave each other much needed hugs.

Then he said to Sam, "Uhm, and I'm sorry for hating the Book, uh, I mean Li—"

"Don't!" Sam gently said, placing her index finger on his mouth. "I'm sorry, too!" And they embraced and kissed, their aching hearts now fully healed of any pain or jealousy.

Tucker looked on a little and then a lot away as Danny and Sam finally made-up completely.

Libro would now be all of their friends.

"Man, you two can be **so** stubborn!" Tucker finally teased and they looked up and even in the moonlight Tucker could see them blush. But then they immediately grabbed and threw some nearby small sticks at him, purposely missing him. Then they all laughed with relief and sat back down on the ground next to Libro.

After several minutes of shared thankful rest, Danny finally said. "OK. So now that we're alone here and the pier is still visible, let's get back onto those clues!"

"But it's not that important anymore!" Sam objected. "It's not worth your getting hurt over."

"You don't understand, Sam," Danny gently said, squeezing her hand a little. "We **have** to solve the mystery now more than ever. Those ghosts meant serious business. And it's very obvious that all this is much more important than we originally thought."

They all looked at each other in silence and under the moonlight they could clearly see each other's faces. They all knew that Danny was right.

And Libro shuddered slightly in fear.


	15. Chapter 15 Back on Track

**A/N: Does anyone need a summary so far? Well, basically, Danny, Sam and Tucker found the pier and lots of trouble as well. Danny was almost killed by the Spectre who had guarded the pier, but Libro directs his friends on how to save his life. After that, any "ice" between Danny and Libro and Danny and Sam has finally melted. Anyway, without much more ado, here is Chapter 15, and, as always, IDNOAC!!...Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 15—Back on Track

"But are you sure you're OK, Danny?" Sam asked him, having all ready decided that she was going to see all this through with him. She thought that he seemed to have no hint of having any residual affects of the attack.

He, too, thought he had recovered. "I'm fine. That stuff—though it was totally gross—did a great job. I feel as good as new," he ended, changing into his ghostly form. "Are you both OK with this?"

"No, but we're ready anyway," Tucker said, smiling weakly.

Danny grinned back at them, pleased with their loyalty. "OK, then. Obviously, the moon is still out, so let's get to the pier!"

"I all ready marked eight paces alee!" Sam told Danny as they all headed to the pier.

"That's my girl!" He smiled as he followed her to the spot she had marked.

Tucker was right on their heels and when he came up to them, Danny asked him, "We're at the right spot now, Tuck. I remember the next part of the clue, but maybe you should read it back after the 'eight paces to the alee' line just in case, OK?"

"No problem, dude," his friend answered, all ready punching on his keys. He then read:

"From North of the mouth  
East is always best  
Eight paces South  
Look to the West."

They stood on the "X" and just as they began to search for a meaning to this part of the puzzle, the clouds blocked the moon again and the pier disappeared.

Danny immediately charged up the light energy from his hand just as they were plunged into darkness once more.

Unfazed by the change, Sam pointed and said, "North is that way!"

"But the mouth of the river is to the south," Danny commented, pointing toward the exact opposite direction.

"Maybe it means north of the mouth!" Tucker suggested. "…But that would be right before that huge lake! Maybe we're wrong, then? After all, the second stanza said something about the ocean and sea."

Danny added, "But then what about 'the mouth'? The ocean is way far from here. It's true that eventually this river goes to the ocean, but not for hundreds of miles. And **this** seems to be the right place. So, how do we explain this pier?"

"I agree. Then what does all this have to do with the pier?" Sam asked. "Why not send us directly to the lake or the ocean and skip the pier?"

All three fell silent, having no answer to that. They all knew the pier had to have something to do with the answer. But what?

"Well," Danny began to say just as the moon finally burst out again and the pier reappeared.

"Look at the pier!" Sam interrupted with her yell, pointing at the same time. She was at the perfect angle to see it. The moonlight not only engulfed the entire pier, but it reflected off the point that Sam saw at the "X" spot and shined a beam right at….the **mouth of the cave** on the other side of the river!

The boys turned to where she was pointing and saw the same thing. "That's it!" Danny yelled. "We knew the pier had something to do with it! The clues weren't' referring to the mouth of the river at all! Let's go!"

He quickly grabbed his friends and flew toward the beam. They followed it closely and finally ended up at one of the many caves in the area.

"OK, now what?" Tucker asked, looking around for what he didn't know.

"How about we move a little north of the mouth?" Sam suggested.

They all did. They were parallel to the mouth.

"I get it!" Tucker agreed and read the next part. "Let's turn east now."

They all did.

"We're facing the cave again!" Danny sighed.

"But not the mouth!" Sam said, getting a little more excited. She added, "Now eight paces south, right, Tucker?"

He nodded, looking perplexed but still trying to follow her logic.

She continued, "Uhm, and since we can't go forward, do you think we should sidestep it?"

"That's as good as guess as any of ours. And **if** after all of this, we're totally wrong, we can always just invent a new dance!" Tucker wryly said.

"Knock it off, Tucker!" she said a little irritated, but then chuckled when Danny was also trying to stifle a laugh. Then she scowled. "You said this was serious, Danny!"

"OK. You're right, Sam! But it does seem a little silly!" Danny said, composing himself.

They all stepped sidewise eight paces south and were still facing the cave but were now way past the mouth of the cave. The moonlight gave them a clear view of what they were facing. But there was nothing special that they could see about this part of the cave.

"Now, let's turn west," she commanded.

They all did, and they could see the darkened side of a small boulder in their direct line of vision.

"Now what?" Tucker whined a little.

"Maybe we should search around this area and the area near that boulder," Danny suggested, finally catching onto Sam's logic.

"For what?" Tucker whined again. He still wasn't getting it.

"I don't know! Something, anything!" Sam scowled, getting more perturbed.

They all spread out a little looking everywhere for what… well, they truly didn't know. Danny went right up to the boulder and looked at the side illuminated by the moonlight. He saw nothing. But then, just as they all were becoming convinced that they had the puzzle figured out totally wrong, the hybrid decided to search the darkened side of the boulder. He charged up a ball of light and began to inspect it.

And just when all three were about to give up, Danny yelled, "Hey, wait a minute! Here's some kind of latch!" His friends quickly joined him and when they did, he pulled on the latch and a small door swung open. They knew this was it! He reached in and pulled out a small, very elaborately adorned wooden chest about the size of the original scrolls.

"This must be where they found the second scroll!" Sam excitedly remarked.

"We were right!" Tucker said, smiling with triumph.

"And, it's finally beginning to make some sense!" Danny replied, now as excited as Sam was. "Now, if we can decipher the next scroll, then maybe we can finally solve this mystery!" He placed the chest back into the compartment and closed the door.

"But what if the Spectre have already deciphered it and we come up with another empty chest and a dead-end again? Tucker asked.

"I'm not sure about that, Tuck. My guess is that if they had what they wanted, they wouldn't have been after us. And they wouldn't have been guarding the pier," Danny answered him.

"Oh, yeah. I knew that," Tucker concurred, blushing a bit in embarrassment.

Then Danny added, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but after all that's happened today, I'm exhausted! Would you mind if we start again tomorrow?"

Both of his friends nodded as Sam said, "Yeah, let's get the boosters and head home!"

* * *

They all flew home but not before Danny stayed just a little longer outside of Sam's front door to say 'good night' and 'I'm sorry' again.

After a few minutes, Sam softly said, "Uhm, not that I don't like a good fight so that we get an opportunity like this to 'make-up', but from now on, if something bothers either of us—even if it's a little thing—can we just come right out with it?"

Danny smiled and replied, "I agree, Sam. But you know it's not always that easy, especially with everything that goes on around us. But maybe we can find a way to get the message quickly across to each other that we're upset or something is wrong, instead of putting it off and blowing up at each other in the end. At least, for me, that would work.

Sam smiled. "What do you think we should do? Like you said, it's not like we can talk much about anything while we're out there kicking ghost butt. And I don't want to make things worse when we have a disagreement. You know how pig-headed I can be," she ended with a smirk.

Danny grabbed her hands in his. "Well, I have been known to be in competition with you about that 'being stubborn stuff'," he said with a mischievous grin. "But, I don't know…" He paused and he played with her hands. "How about using a word or something? You know, something only we know and get." Danny blushed at seeing Sam raise an eyebrow at his suggestion. "I, uh, know its kinda lame, but I think it could work."

Sam smiled, "Yeah, it is kinda lame, but it's a good idea. Sooo, what word do you suggest?"

"Well, I haven't thought about that yet," Danny admitted with an embarrassed smile. "But together, I think we can come up with something eventually, right?"

"Right," Sam said with a soft smile. "Now, I'd better go in. Don't want my parents to think that you have stayed too long, even though they always do!!"

They both laughed and then kissed one last time before Sam went in.


	16. Chapter 16 Heating Back Up

**A/N: Hope you're enjoying this story!! Here's what happened so far: The trio have solved part of the mystery: they found where the second scroll had been hidden. Now, here is Chapter 16 and "IDNOAC" as always. Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 16—Heating Back Up

Sam and Tucker had a good night's sleep, but it was not as restful one for Danny. He continued to have fitful dreams, most of which he could not remember. Finally, it was morning and the trio met up early the next day at Danny's house.

They all gathered in Danny's room, and Danny said with a yawn, "Guys, I've been thinking about it. I know I won't be able to take getting hit with those black rays again, and I'm sure that if I can't take those black ones, I definitely won't be able to withstand the red-and-black ones either. Not only did they hurt **a lot—**and, of course, almost took me out—but you also saw how long it took me to get my senses back when just the 'little' ones hit me. And I can't be watching every part of me to keep them from striking."

"Well, we still have my PDA and Libro to fight them," Tucker pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. They both came in very handy, but I need something else to help. My ice power only held them for so long and my ectoplasmic rays were totally ineffective. I haven't tried my claws or ghostly wail on them yet, but light was the best defense. I'm going to ask my parents to come up with something."

"Good idea," Sam replied. "But are we still going to look at some of the clues of the scrolls in the meantime?"

"You bet!" Danny exclaimed. "I just want to make sure we know we're ready for anything, just in case. Just give me a few minutes while I explain it to them, OK?"

His friends both agreed and Danny went downstairs to speak to his parents...

He found them in the kitchen, working yet on another gadget. After he briefly explained the situation to them, they were both delighted to get another mission.

"Yeah, great, son!" Jack gushed. "Your mother's been working on the same project for two weeks now and hasn't gotten anywhere with it yet!"

"That's because you broke it three times all ready," She woodenly countered, an unmistakable scowl now growing on her face.

"Uhm, you're right, sweetcakes…uhm, sorry!" Jack weakly said with a wince and a shrug.

"Anyway, sweetie, your father's right," she surprised Danny in saying. "I'm getting frustrated with this thing and we still haven't fixed the toaster oven yet. I think that working on something else might clear my mind."

"Uh, OK. Thanks, Mom," Danny commented, slightly befuddled about her comment. He then added, "And while you're at it, would it be possible to make a miniature version of the ghost gabber? Maybe one we can put in our ears, you know, like the Fenton phones? And maybe two sets of them? We might need those, too!"

"Hey, that's my invention and what a great idea, Danny!" his father said in his usual boisterous and excited voice. "The ghost gabber **is** a little clunky, so reducing it would make it more useful!" His eyes brightened more at his next thought, "Hey! I can use the Fenton crammer to make it smaller! Wow! Five inventions all at once!"

Danny also looked at him inscrutably and stammered, "G-gee, thanks, too, Dad! Could you let me know when you want me to check on them?"

But they didn't answer him, as they were all pumped up about this new assignment and were concentrating on starting it immediately...

"Uh, were they OK about it?" Tucker asked his friend when he saw how befuddled Danny still looked when he returned to his room.

"Oh, yeah. They were more than OK with it," Danny answered, scratching his head. "And it's still kinda creepy to see them get so into their inventions." He then smirked, "It's kinda like they're haunted by them or something."

"Well, they are ghost _haunters_!" Tucker punned.

And Danny chuckled and Sam groaned at the same time.

* * *

Meanwhile, much earlier, the defeated shadow ghosts had limped back to Phasma's castle after their sound defeat by Tucker, Sam and Libro.

Hoping that they would not be discovered, they tried to sneak back to their own quarters when suddenly they stopped dead in their tracks and cringed at the sound of the angry voice that greeted them.

"So, you failed to keep them from the pier, did you not, Spettro?" the female voice hissed. "And you also failed to deliver to me what I wanted!"

"Y-yes, your highness," Spettro stammered, speaking for the other Spectre who were with him when Jiva intercepted them. "B-but…"

"There are no excuses in this matter!" she growled, rudely interrupting him. "You and your pitiful band also failed me earlier at the forest. I will have to take more of this matter into my own hands, seeing that you are obviously and so despicably incompetent."

"Yes,.." Spettro began again, bowing low in submission.

But she again interrupted him. "I will not tell my father of your failure if you tell me all that happened and what you have learned from your shameless defeat."

Spettro looked at her both in surprise and fear, but responded, "Yes, Princess…" And he began with telling her about how they were attacked with the flesh-boy's little mechanical device and the flesh-girl's odd book.

Jiva jolted at the news of the book. She suddenly remembered a story her father had told her. And it was about a powerful book that had nearly defeated her grandfather many years earlier. But it was lost before it could do enough damage to make a difference in that war. Could this be the very same book? "And you did not bring the book to me?" she shrieked.

"H-highness!" Spettro stammered again. "W-we didn't know, and it…it attacked us…with…..light…uh,… and we…we…could not get near it, and…and…before we could even try, we ended up back here. You know how light of the spectrum green…."

"You do not need to remind me of that, Spettro!" she spat back. Then another thought struck her. "But what about the shadow-of-the-flesh? Why did you fail me about him?"

Now Spettro was terrified. No matter what he told her, he was sure it would not please her and would mean his suffering cruelly at her hands. He hesitated and her eyes flared. He shuddered when he saw that and desperately blurted out, "H-he resisted violently against us. We were able to incapacitate him in the beginning and he could not help the others. We think we have ridded ourselves of him!"

"What?" she shrieked louder. "You hurt him? How dare you attack the Phantom! He is Prophesy of the Spectre!" She rushed over to Spettro and grabbed him harshly. But then she felt a sensation and she knew that the boy was well and even where he now was. She also instantly knew by her touch that Spettro had been one of the Spectre who had attacked Danny. She calmed a little at the news, but would not let Spettro know about it. She continued through gritted teeth. "You fool! Injuring him did not keep his companions from defeating you, did it? Being vanquished by the flesh-blood creatures is unthinkable. The Prophesy had better be well or I will have you suffer a punishment worst than banishment!"

Spettro was in shock of what she just said. Forgetting about trying to make excuses about his failure, he dared to blurt out, "Prophesy of the Spectre? But lord Phasma is Prophesy. Why compare a flesh-creature with the Spectre?"

That was not the smartest thing for Spettro to have said. Jiva froze briefly in shock, but immediately caught herself. Had she been this stupid to actually call the ghost boy the 'Prophesy'? She could not afford this kind of error. Her eyes stabbed at him in anger and she hissed through clenched teeth, "How dare you accuse my father of not being Prophesy of the Spectre! For that, I will tell him not only of your defeat, but also of your treachery!" She immediately thrust a red-and-black ray at Spettro and he screamed in agony as it electrocuted his form. He fell senseless.

"Guards!" she called; and immediately the hapless and unhappy group of Spectre under Spettro's leadership was herded down to certain and painful torture in the dankness of Jiva's dungeon.

And Jiva knew she would have to act quickly, and headed immediately to her father's meeting room, which the Spectre called the "Room of Authority".

She found her father sitting on a very large ornate chair made of a very dark wood and heavily adorned with jewels. It was the Prophesy's Chair of Authority and Phasma was always upon it if he was not on a mission.

His daughter didn't hesitate and glided to him. She touched him and cooed, "Father, I've got glorious news! The traitors are in the dungeon!"

"What do you mean, Jiva?" he demanded, totally confused by her comment.

And she then fed him her own version of the events. "As you remember, you sent some of your soldiers to guard the flesh-towns, in case the flesh-shadow who attacked you came upon them."

"Yes, I recall that. What of it?" he said tersely.

"Your soldiers have run afoul, Father!" she hissed, touching him slightly again. "They attacked the flesh-shadow—the one with **the name**--even though you commanded otherwise! They yelled that they struck him with the blessings of our house! And you know what that means! If he has perished and it is known that it has been by the command of our house, evil will claw at us and at the very quintessence of every Spectre! You know that the fates would demand restitution!"

Phasma shuddered in fear. Jiva knew how to use his superstitions against him. She smiled slightly and continued, "And you also know, Father, that you would be ousted in order to avoid that very evil demanded by the fates! The Spectre would learn of the name of the flesh-shadow and would demand the shame of our house because of their fearful beliefs!"

Phasma looked at her with wide, terrorized eyes. She had him where she wanted him. Then her whole demeanor with him changed. As if calming a frightened child, she softly cooed, "But should the flesh-shadow survive, you must keep him from further harm. The fates would be pleased that you not only had no fear of his name, but would have command over him and prevent the spread of any superstitious rumors about him! But what about your generals? Should they dare act without your leave? They have done so in this case, and their treacherous henchmen they call 'soldiers' have been thrown into the dungeon to suffer their own fate after their accursed attack! So, what is to be done about the commanders? Should they not be held responsible?"

That was all she needed to say.

Convinced about her lies, Phasma roared, "What! How dare they disobey me and plan such an attack without my knowledge! This will not happen again!" He violently struck a nearby gong and a servant instantly rushed in. "Summon all my generals at once!" he commanded, and the servant instantly bolted out.

After the leaders of the Spectre army were assembled, including the high commander, Spectro, Phasma rose up tall and menacing from his chair, his red hair, eyes and claws flashing in anger. He boomed, "I just had word that the shadow-of-the-flesh—the creature who had attacked us when we were in the last flesh-town—was wounded, and maybe even exterminated, by our Spectre that were sent to the pier to protect it."

"I command that from now on, that if that shadow…." He paused, thinking of what Jiva had said. He was uncertain whether he should call the creature that. But he had to make sure that they knew of his wishes, and that he would have the fates on his side. He continued, "Make no mistake! I say it only to make myself clear, **not** to imply any importance of it. I have nothing to fear! I will say it so you will know of whom I speak... If that **PHANTOM**-of-the-flesh has survived this attack, not one Spectre is to harm him in anyway. I want him captured, of course, but **not** **harmed.** I will deal with him myself. Is that clear?"

The generals stood in silent shock, not knowing, of course, what this all meant or what to say. But they heeded his words. He said them with no fear in his voice when he uttered the name he had given the flesh-shadow about whom he spoke. It was an indubitable omen.

Then Phasma shrieked, "I will have obedience!!" And his body shuddered as violently as his words. His reaction was so fierce that a cracked crystal amulet —normally hidden within the Prophesy—was suddenly exposed. It was hanging on a heavy gold chain and looked as if it should be useless. Its middle section was missing and it had lightening bolt-like cracks which radiated outward from the hole. Yes, it appeared useless, but it still possessed a lot of power in spite of its being fractured. And the gem within it had not been its normally clear color for a very long time. Its hue always reflected the mind of the one who wielded it, especially when its powers were ignited or spiked. And right now, it blazed red with its holder's rage; and tugged just as violently away from the neck it adorned.

And just as suddenly, the eyes of all the Spectre present—except for Phasma and Jiva's—also turned solid red under the power of the amulet. The blazing gem borne by Phasma immediately summoned all the smaller jewels that also now exposed themselves on each of the Spectre in the room. Each of the smaller gems, in turn, yanked at their respective chains, as if trying to reach out to the commanding one. And then Phasma hissed in anger, "Now, go and find out if he is alive or not! And pray that for your sake that he has not perished!"

The commanders of the Spectre army bowed low in fearful and forced obedience at Phasma's decree, and kept hunched over with dread as they slowly backed out of his presence.

But just as they passed the doorway, Phasma calmed and the spell was dispelled. Instantly aware that his mind was free, Spectro lagged behind the other generals; and seeing no other Spectre in the area, he darted behind a large and heavy maroon curtain that hung against one of the walls of the Room of Authority.

He knew that he needed to know of Phasma's plans and the only way to do that was to hear whatever the Prophesy of the Spectre would say to his daughter.

**A/N: OK, now the little tease again. Have you noticed something about the names of all the Spectre? Will PM you if you're right, but otherwise, you'll just have to keep guessing!! Just adding a little bit more mystery to this story (as if it didn't have enough!!) **


	17. Chapter 17 The History of the Spectre

**A/N: Hope this story is keeping your interest peaked. Time for a longer summary break: Danny was almost killed by the Spectre but Libro found the cure for him. Now Danny is no longer jealous of the book. The trio then finally discover the meaning of the first scroll and find the empty chest that had contained the second scroll. In the meantime, Jiva has just found out that her band of Spectre soldiers almost killed Danny, and she wants to make sure that this doesn't happen again. She convinces her father to declare that no harm should come to Danny, even if he were captured. We have still left Johnny 13 and his Shadow in their lair, and they are unsure of what to do about this whole thing. And what's this about Spectro, Phasma's commander-in-chief? And as if this wasn't enough for ya, are you ready to have your mind blown?!! Now, remember, "IDNOAC" and now here is Chapter 17, one of my personal favs. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 17—The History of the Spectre

Spectro stayed hidden behind the large curtain in the Room of Authority. He did not risk trying to see, but he clearly heard everything.

Jiva glided toward her father again. She touched him and he sighed. Smiling, she said gently, "I sense that the Phantom, the shadow-of-the-flesh, is well, Father. You know of my power. And he does have the scrolls!"

"Sweet Jiva," her father quietly said, though his voice had a slight edge to it. "Why did you not tell me before? I care not for this shadow—this Phantom--of-the-flesh!"

Jiva smiled secretly in her mind. She liked that name: 'Phantom-of-the-Flesh'. But she could not let on to her father, at least, not now. So she said instead, "You are Prophesy of the Spectre and you needed to show the generals your authority! Their soldiers did attack that flesh-shadow and they cannot disobey you!"

"You are right, Daughter. But I must have the scrolls! And I have to know if this Phantom-of-the-Flesh threatens me or not! I have come too far to have a creature like Ombre--a shadow once flesh-blood--rule the Spectre again. And if the Phantom-of-the-Flesh is the Prophesy of the Spectre as the Omen foretold and perishes by the hand of the Spectre, our rule will be lost. But if we rid of him quietly, then our House will still be!"

Jiva looked at him in confusion. Did she upset him too much? It did not matter that this Phantom-of-the-Flesh once was a flesh-blood. Yes, she was fascinated by him and all his kind, but she did not think her House was threatened by him. She said in all sincerity, "But what do you mean, my father? I thought you and our House were the only ones of the flesh-blood. You have nothing to fear!" She needed to know more; even though she was able to see into her father's mind, he still had the power to keep her from all of his thoughts because of the amulet.

She pressed on, "And because you have nothing to fear of the flesh-bloods creatures, you should have no fear in telling me more about them. They are a fascinating breed."

"Do not say that, Daughter! They are beneath us. We Spectre are much more important."

"But we have flesh-blood in us and the Omen said…"

"Yes, I know, Jiva, but I am not proud!" he forcefully interrupted her. "The flesh-blood in us makes us unique among the Spectre, but it also makes us weak. We can _feel _more and that can make our decisions hesitant or dangerous."

"How?" she honestly asked, as her face widened with her desire to know more.

Her father hesitated at first. But he knew that if he didn't tell her, she would not fail to find out in the end. He sighed and said, "This burden of our House—that which is called the flesh-blood 'emotion'— became one with our kind because of one of our ancestors. He was the one who was flesh-shadow in our realm but was once flesh-blood in the flesh-plane before he came and then became Spectre. How this could be, I do not know, but it came to be. But these flesh-blood passions became strong in our House, so much so that our thoughts were muddled at times. No other Spectre possessed this shame. Not that the Spectre cannot have any feelings…their feelings are just not as refined or complex as ours. And they cannot be controlled by theirs in the same way as we. That is why I said that the flesh-blood in us makes us weak! We inherited strong emotions from our ancestor. And I believe it to be a curse! We are pure Spectre, yet we are destined to _feel _like the flesh-bloods do!"

"But without the flesh-blood emotions in me, I would not have my powers!" Jiva said with a pout. She would never admit that their flesh-blood emotions were not desirable.

"That is not entirely true, Daughter," Phasma exclaimed with a shake of his head.

Now she was very confused. She would never forget the gift given to her by her flesh-blood ancestors.

But what did her father mean that this was 'not entirely true'? And what did this have to do with the Omen of the Prophecy? All she knew of it was that it claimed that a shadow from the flesh-blood plane would rule, and even though she felt that Danny was the true Prophesy, she did not know any more about the history of her kind. In fact, all that she could gather came by what her father had wished to tell her, like the book. But most of what he had told her up to this point dealt with their ancient rites and superstitions, or with boring administrative proceedings. None of that had mattered to her, until now.

"Jiva," he began, his eyes and the amulet flaring slightly, "You do not think that this Phantom-of-the-Flesh is the Prophesy of the Spectre, do you? If it be true, I will be dethroned and our House will fade away. You know the Elders would demand it!"

"But I have a plan!" she cooed.

"No! I forbid it!" he suddenly growled. "And for you to understand this, now, I think, I will it to be the time for you to know the entire history of the Spectre. Come and be at my side."

She obliged him and drew near. Finally she would know all she needed for her own plans.

Phasma paused, as if collecting his thoughts.

Jiva--and the hidden Spectro--hung on every word as the Prophesy began his tale:

"Long, long ago—too long to count their worth as the flesh-creatures would say--we Spectre came to be. How, I do not know; but, still, we were a special breed. We had never been part of the flesh-plane of the other realms, but were complete spirit beings that existed outside of the flesh."

"We had many rulers in all that time—some good, some wicked—but all pure Spectre. But we were also an undisciplined breed. As I told you, the Spectre have unrefined feelings. We did not know how to control our powers and did not understand anything but superstition and fear. We even had no way to communicate to any other Spectre, because each House had its own language. No Prophesy could ever control us for long because we were a stubborn, fractured and wild breed; and so, many rulers came and fell."

"And so it was that this was the Spectre way for thousands of what the flesh-creatures call 'years'. There were many wars and dissent even within the own Houses of each Spectre! That is because the Spectre Houses were not bound by the flesh-creature emotion called "love". They were bound by superstition and habit."

He paused, as if he didn't want to go on. But he pressed on, "It was a dark time, and more evil came. For finally, strange diseases of every kind that only attacked the shadows began to rob us of our young. From where they came, we do not know, but we feared them. And then the black shadow decay came. And that was brought upon the Spectre from our own House, daughter!"

Jiva—and the hidden Spectro--jumped at the news. Jiva was about to interrupt him, but her father put his hand up to bid her to be silent.

Phasma continued, "And our kind was phasing to oblivion because of the black shadow decay!"

"Then two of the flesh-creature centuries ago, when all the Spectre were desperate in their misery, Ombre came. He was a shadow-of-the-flesh, who stumbled upon us in his endless wonderings in the Ghost Zone. He was once a creature of the flesh-plane, but now was shadow. But he was not a Spectre….And he had brought with him a strange crystal amulet. It glowed of green fire, reflecting the power of Ombre, and was reflected in the many jewels like the ones that are now upon the Chair of Authority and hang from the neck of each Spectre."

Jiva turned slightly to look at the jewels embedded in the chair and then returned her attention to her father.

"And the amulet had strange powers, powers Ombre said came to the flesh-plane realm from the heavens! And indeed, it was powerful, more powerful than what the Spectre possessed."

Phasma took out the amulet to emphasize his point. But it did not glow green, it glowed red.

He then said, "Many of the misguided Elders said that Ombre brought stability to the Spectre. He used the amulet to control us, to cure us and to quiet us. And we were given speech by the amulet, a language that all Spectre understood. And he gave us the sense of time. Not that we needed it. Our realm has never had cared for time before and would not now, but now it has become habit, like the habit of each House.

"And because of his control through the amulet, he stopped the wars. The powers it had rendered our energy rays harmless to each other—unless Ombre wished otherwise. But the amulet definitely made our energy seals very powerful against other creatures."

"The Elders also claimed that he had all the Spectre scour our land and beyond for the green poison that caused the black shadow decay. He made us form it into one gigantic sphere. And we used our special black energy to rend a hole in our Spectre realm and threw it into the flesh-plane heavens. And we were no longer ceasing to exist because of it."

Phasma finally looked at Jiva and seeing that she was still enthralled, he continued.

"And many of the Spectre were fooled by Ombre and called him wise and they made him their leader. But the ancestors of our House were not fooled by this charlatan! Ombre had deprived the rightful Prophesies of their right, and they would not be satisfied."

"And then my father--your grandfather, Varjo--came not too long before Ombre had gathered all the green poison of the black shadow decay. Varjo, too, was a flesh-shadow! They had known each other when they had walked upon the flesh-plane. But Varjo had sworn to avenge himself. It was because of Ombre that Varjo had been cursed to wander aimlessly in the shadow-of-the-flesh plane they call the 'Ghost Zone' !"

"Finally, Varjo found Ombre after much searching and stole some of the green poison before Ombre had ridded our realm of it. But Varjo was not ready. He fooled Ombre into thinking that they had resolved their differences. So, Ombre thought that they had lived in peace for several more of what flesh-creatures—and now all of Spectre--call years. All the while, they were changed by the power of the amulet. They became like Spectre and even both married Spectre and had descendents.

And then many years after this, Ombre had ruled, thinking that all the green poison of the black shadow decay had been removed from our land and beyond long ago. But then, Varjo found the time was right and he trapped Ombre as he had done on the flesh-plane and punished Ombre with the same green poison. And Varjo banished the infected Ombre, where he passed into oblivion."

Jiva began to shift in her place—but it was not in disinterest--and Phasma said with emphasis, "But that is not all, Daughter!"

"The descendents of Ombre still existed. Varjo captured them and had plans for them, plans that would put their House to shame. Then they, too, he would make perish with the green poison. But they escaped and they fled. Some say that they went back to the flesh-plane. Others said they still perished, because the army of Varjo had severely injured them in their escape. Still other fools said they fled to places in the shadow-of-the-flesh-plane where we do not go."

He paused a moment, hesitant to tell his daughter the next part. But he continued just the same. "But Ombre was still evil in his plans! Just as he had become infected by the green poison, he broke the amulet into four: three small pieces and the larger one that is now in my possession. The three smaller pieces were lost. But because the amulet was broken, much of its powers were lost. The Spectre no longer were totally under its control. They had a mind of their own."

"And even though Varjo had gotten the amulet from Ombre, he could not fully keep the Spectre loyal. So he kept what was left of the green poison he had stolen to rule the Spectre. And for many years afterward, he was successful, with the combined power of the green poison and the amulet. And the amulet no longer had shown with green fire as it had done with Ombre. It now reflected the red of the House of Varjo."

Jiva shifted again but it was not in boredom. But Phasma said, "Patience, my daughter. I am almost finished. Some of this I have spoken of to you in the past."

And so he said, "But many of the followers of Ombre did not be at peace. They tried to overthrow Varjo the Valiant. And then one day, a strange book appeared that one of the rebels had gotten. Where it came from, we do not know. It was powerful and many in the army of Varjo were defeated by its power. But Varjo was able to beat the book back with the amulet. When he finally got his hands on the book in the middle of the fight, however, the book disappeared from right out of them! And in sudden fear, Varjo used all that was left of the green poison that he had on the other rebels and eliminated most of them. But some did not get infected and in the fight, Varjo, too, was infected. So, in his final hours of the black shadow decay, he bequeathed the amulet to me, his only son. And to that, I will never let our House be attacked again!"

He stopped and put his head down.

"But what of the others who were not infected?" Jiva finally had a chance to say, as she had been seriously taking in all that her father was telling her.

"They fled, but we do not know where. But, then, there was the Omen of the Prophecy!" he said, his eyes blazing slightly with his renewed dread.

"What about the Omen of the Prophecy, Father?" she pressed on.

"The prophecy, some say, was fulfilled by Ombre." He paused again. "But I will now tell you what only our House knows."

And Spectro suddenly tensed.

Phasma continued, "The Omen of the Prophecy was foretold by the last Whizard _**-x- **_of the Spectre, the one who, in fact, had conjured up the very green poison of the black shadow decay! He had been a member of an ancient sect of ghost Whizards. He made the green poison in order for the sect to use it to destroy a very powerful flesh-shadow king long ago. But the judgment of this Whizard in making the green poison was wrong, for the rest of the Whizards would not permit that flesh-shadow king to be destroyed. Instead, the Whizards all stripped the flesh-shadow king from the House of Pariah Dark of his power and entombed him. But the green poison of the black shadow decay remained; even when that sect of Whizards phased away and all was left of it was a lone Spectre Whizard."

Jiva's eyes widened, but she said nothing.

"That Spectre Whizard, who went by the name of Abantesma, had special powers, and more importantly, had two very powerful ones. He had a special way to read the future, and he could see into the minds of the Spectre. His House and our House were soon to be destined to be united. Abantesma had only one daughter, your grandmother, Esprit. And it was because of the Whizard Abantesma that your grandmother--daughter of Abantesma and mate of Preto--had the same power to see into the mind of the Spectre. And your grandmother passed that power to your mother, Fantasma, and then it came to you. But because no males came from Abantesma, the ability to read the future was lost. But then our Houses were finally united."

"But in his vision of the future, Abantesma saw a shadow-of-the-flesh who, it is said, would be the greatest, kindest, and wisest Prophesy the Spectre had ever known. But he did not know when it would come true, and he would not say the name but made it known that the name was as mine."

Jiva jolted again at the news. She could not believe it. She stammered, "B-but how do you know, Father, and why did he not tell anyone of the Omen?"

"He did not tell anyone of the Omen because of his superstition and regret over making the green poison of the black shadow decay that had caused so much harm to the Spectre and other shadows who stumbled into our realm. And he feared for his House, because he knew that if the prophecy was revealed, his House would be in ruin."

"So, because he feared the Omen, he had to make sure its secret would remain safe. So, he wrote it down and hid pieces of it in the places he had traveled in search of the answer to the green poison of the black shadow decay. And where he searched for that answer was in the flesh-plane."

"But how did you learn of it if it were well-hidden?" Jiva asked him, and Spectro strained to hear the answer.

"From your mother!" he answered. "As you know, she also had your power and was a very charming Spectre… She did not rest until she had teased at least part of the riddle from her ailing grandfather. She was only partly successful, though. She had only learned of where to find the first scroll. But then, there must have been spies in the realm, because the rumor of the Omen spread, but only that part that dealt with the name of the Prophesy, the one similar to mine. But since it was all of rumors, I did not discourage it and it, too, died."

"And our House would have left it all be as it was and Phasma would be Prophesy of the Spectre without being challenged had it not been for the return of the large orb of green poison of the black shadow decay! Many Spectre and the Elders were unsettled by this and the rumor of the Omen came again, and then all the Spectre demanded peace from me. And I, too, was unsettled because my dearest Fantasma, your mother--who as you, was highly spirited--was infected by the green poison when she insisted on coming with me to see if there was truth that the large orb had returned. If only had I forbidden her to come!"

He paused and momentarily let his head fall in grief. When he glanced back up at Jiva, he looked confused. "But then something strange happened! The green orb was no more! We do not know where it went! As you know, our realm is not affected like the other realms of the shadow-planes but we cannot explain the strangeness of this event that happened not too long ago. There was some kind of rift in the other realms of the place called 'Ghost Zone'. What it was, we do not know. But it changed everything in the other realms and the green orb had disappeared! But the Elders were still not satisfied and were convinced this was just another omen to confirm their demands."

But then his eyes flared in anger. "So, I will find the answer to the Omen of the Prophecy! I will not have our House threatened again!"

Jiva reacted with a smile, "But, then, do you not see, Father? I have a plan! You have no fear of the Phantom-of-the-Flesh! I still need a partner and I have chosen him! That way, our House will be sealed and no one will question us again!"

But the glare in her father's eyes intensified and he roared, "But that will still be a threat to me, Daughter!"

She hesitated at his anger but pressed on, "But what if I get you the Book that attacked Varjo? Will you then give him to me?"

And this time Phasma jolted in shock. "That book was lost many years ago! Your thoughts on it are but a fantasy of a young one!"

"No, Father, it is real!" she insisted and when he did not relent, she repeated in more defiance, "I will get the book and you will give me the Phantom-of-the-flesh!"

"I forbid it!" he screamed and his eyes and face skewed in such wild anger that she was frightened of him for the first time of her Spectre life and fled out of the room.

And Spectro dared not move yet until Phasma finally left. The head general of the Spectre army was still taking in all that he heard, trying to memorize it all, especially the parts that he knew were untrue.

_**-x- **_**A/N: ****The Spectre's spelling of 'wizard' was 'whizard'!**


	18. Chapter 18 New Gadgets

**A/N: Wow! That last chapter was real intense!! Did that come out of my crazy head? And do y'all feel like you were in a freakin' history class again? Well, then, put THAT on your next essay!! That'll blow them away (and, of course, blow your grade away!)…Ahem, well, can't really summarize that last chappie, except to say that Phasma was NOT a happy camper afterward, and even scared his daughter for the first time... Otherwise, Chappie 17's title says it all! But, WOW, NOW here is Chapter 18…Enjoy!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 18—New Gadgets

But Jiva was very spoiled and would have her way. After she retreated to her room and calmed down, she thought about everything that Phasma had told her. A smugly satisfied smirk suddenly surrounded her mouth. Now everything was perfect! She knew all that she needed to know.

Then she paused and concentrated. She smiled again. She now knew that the Spectre generals would not find the Phantom-of-the-flesh in this realm or in the surrounding realms. He was in the flesh-plane; and no Spectre would venture there without Phasma's or her guidance. She would have no interference from the Spectre generals after all!

And she would find a way to get to him. She knew what she liked and what she wanted, and in the end she knew Phasma would give in. The Phantom-of-the-flesh would be her partner and she would rule the Spectre.

She concentrated again. She would not need to summon Asara for now. The path, though not as strong as she wanted it to be, was clear. She knew he was not blocking it. And she smiled. Finally, she now knew where he was…

All that was needed now was the time to form her new plans…

* * *

In the meantime, Danny, Sam and Tucker were making their own plans. It had been a few days since Danny had asked for his parents' help. The trio had met up again at Danny's house after school. It had been hours since Sam and Tucker had arrived, and darkness had swept in. Danny hoped that his parents would complete the gear as they said they would before his friends had to go home. And as they waited in Danny's room, the trio decided to pour over the second set of clues again…

All three of the friends were relaxing either on Danny's bed or on one of his chairs when Danny asked, "OK, Tuck. Could you read them over again?"

Tucker yawned, punched on his PDA and replied, "Sure, dude. Here goes:

"In the city of happy fall  
In the center of the rings  
Strike the crystal ball  
Look to where it sings."

"By the green valley  
With the brown mount  
Look for the blue sea  
And the first black count."

Danny and Tucker looked at each other after Tucker had read the clue. They shrugged in disappointment; they still had no clue. Then they both looked at Sam.

"Still a blank, too," Sam admitted but then added, "Let's just read the first stanza and concentrate on it, OK?"

At first, the trio was silent in thought and then Tucker murmured, "In the city of the happy fall…in the city of the…" And his voice suddenly got louder with his wild idea. "…HAPPY….FALL!!!" Guys! That must be it!"

Danny and Sam looked at him, not catching his drift.

Tucker got more excited. "Don't you get it? It's where the state football championship was played! Shadesville! The Spectre were there for **some **reason, right? And Shadesville's famous for their Fall Festival! It's been going on for almost three hundred years!"

"You've gotta be right, Tucker!" Danny suddenly said, Tucker's excitement rubbing off of him. "Yeah! Why **else** would the Spectre be there? It would be too much of a coincidence if they just happened upon Shadesville!"

They both turned to Sam.

"OK. Let's assume that the riddle is referring to Shadesville," Sam conceded. "Then what does the 'center of the rings' mean?"

The boys fell quiet again. Then Danny excitedly said, "Well, we'll just have to go there and find out! But first, let me see how Mom and Dad are doing, OK?"

His friends nodded, and then Danny headed down to the basement...

When he got there, he found his parents still hunched over their workbench. They didn't notice him and jumped when he quietly said, "Uhm, Mom. Dad!...UH, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

"That's OK, hon!" his mother said. "We're about finished anyhow!"

"Well, **she** is…I'm not quite, yet," his father said.

Danny could see that his father's large hands were having a hard time with the minute adjustments that needed to be done on the miniature ghost gabbers.

"Here, honey, let me finish that for you!" Maddie offered with a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks, sugardoodles! They only need some slight tightening and calibration, and…"

But before Jack could even finish with his instructions, Maddie was gently dropping both sets of the tiny inventions into his hand. Jack smiled sheepishly and uttered, "Thanks again, sweetcakes. You're the best!" And with his free hand he suddenly grabbed her in a big hug and gave her a very affectionate kiss.

"Hey, I'm still here!" Danny objected. Didn't his parents know that it was against all the rules to be that affectionate—ever!?

"That's all right, son, we don't mind!" his father answered still hugging his wife.

"A-hem! Well, I do!" Danny said, squirming with his mounting embarrassment.

"OK, Sweetie, we'll knock it off!" his mother said as she gently pushed her husband away. He obliged her and then she said, "Anyway, we need to show you this new gear!" She turned back to the table and retrieved the devices.

Danny said a silent 'thank you' and looked at the matching objects in his mother's outstretched hands. His eyes widened in excitement.

He picked one up and looked it over. It was obviously some kind of band. It was jet black with an intricately cool design interwoven throughout, which looked a lot like abstract silver flames to the boy. There were also buttons and digital gauges on it and he was surprised how light it was, considering how complicated it looked.

"So, what do they do?" He asked with a smile, finally glancing up at his mother.

"Well, from what you told us, those shadow ghosts are repelled by intense light. These wrist bands will enhance the light aspect of your ectoplasmic rays." She then pointed more directly at the bands and continued, "Those buttons will adjust the frequency, intensity and exact type of whatever wavelength of the color spectrum you may need. We made the entire light spectrum available to you because we don't have a precise analysis of the make up of those black shadows' rays."

Just as she said that, Danny instantly thought, "_**I certainly **__have a precise first-hand analysis of those rays!" _But his thoughts still didn't interfere with his hearing any part of her last explanation, as she continued, "Those digital gauges will help you adjust the bands power appropriately. And, by the way, they are waterproof, cold-proof and heat-proof!"

"Cool! And thanks a lot, Mom! What do you call them?" Danny asked, picking the other one up and inspecting both of them again. He was truly impressed by them.

"Oh, I don't know! We just finished them. What do you think?"

"Uhm…" Danny began, not certain at all. He had never named one of his parents' inventions before. "How about just 'light bands'?"

"AWWW!" his father lamented with his comical frown. "That doesn't sound cool!"

"OK, Dad," Danny conceded with an amused chuckle. He thought it over a minute and then said. "Well they are light bands…and they'll blast the Spectre…and they have a cool blaze-like design on them…How about…..Blazers?"

He looked at his parents and his mother giggled, "Perfect!"

Jack smiled and said, "Yeah, cool, son, even if it doesn't have a ghost name in it!"

And Danny smiled back.

"Now, let me show you which buttons do what..." Maddie began.

"But can I show him the Fenton Ghost Gabberettes first?" Jack said in that unmistakable puppy-dog-like whine of his.

"_Gabberettes?"_ Danny thought but looked at his mother, who looked back at her son and then they smiled in understanding.

"Sure, Dad," "Sure, Hon," they respectively said in unison.

Maddie returned to her work as Jack excitedly opened his hand again and picked up one set of the Fenton Ghost Gabberettes and put the other pair on the table. He handed the set to his son and Danny put one device in each of his ears.

Then he and his father looked silently at each other, expecting something; but nothing happened.

Clearing his throat, Danny finally uttered, "Uh, do they work?"

His father nervously chuckled, "Oh, yeah, I've forgot to turn them on!" But before I do, I have the perfect thing to test them with. I have a recording I made of a ghost I encountered the last time I took the Specter Speeder into the Ghost Zone. You know that ghosts never sound the same there as they do here!...Hmm.. Don't know why….Anyhow, I haven't been able to decipher what he said yet!"

He brought out the tape recorder and then reaching for Danny to surrender the ghost gabberettes—which his son quickly did—Jack pointed out the switch to Danny and turned them on. Danny then placed the devices back in his ears and turned the recorder on.

Even though Danny understood the ghost quite clearly, he knew the devices were working when he heard the familiar voice echo the translation in his ears.

"_**Get your big fat orange human body out of here before…."**_ the ghost gabberettes began, in that sweet feminine voice.

Danny stopped the tape and said, "Uh, Dad, just exactly what were you doing during this 'encounter'? The boy immediately ignored the ghost gabberrettes' repetition of what he just said to his father with a _**"…be afraid!"**_ tacked on the end of it.

"W-well," his father stammered with a nervous chuckle, "You see, son, I found this really great ghost fishing hole in the Ghost Zone which I go to…uhm, on occasion, and then I found out…heh-heh…that it was owned by this particularly insistent ghost, and, I left before he could…uhm, what did he say?"

Danny didn't have the heart to tell him, so he lied, "Oh, something about begging you not to use your superior ghost-hunting powers to steal the fishing hole from him." Again, he ignored that female voice repeating his 'report' with a _**'…fear me!**_**'** added to the end of it.

"He did?" his father asked, puzzled. "He seemed awfully mad! Well, he's right then. I should go see him and insist that I won't be stealing anything from him! I've got a fishing license!"

Danny had to suppress an amused laugh. His father was thankfully clueless. He must have forgotten about this ghost all together. But the boy took the gabberettes out of his ears a moment and replied, "Oh, that won't be necessary, Dad." He put the devices back into his ears and turned the tape back and feigned to interpret what the ghost had said. (Which, in reality, was, _**"…I skin that orange hide and use it for a rug…it's much too big for hanging on my mantle!"**_) Clearing his voice, Danny said, "Oh, he said he'd gladly let you use the fishing hole if you wouldn't hurt him, but the fish are poisonous and unfit for human consumption!" He took out the gabberettes so he wouldn't go crazy with the mimicking again.

"Darn it! No wonder they wouldn't bite! They knew they were no good for me!" his father said, disappointed. "I guess I'll have to stick to Lake Eerie!"

Again, Danny pursed his lips, trying to squelch a laugh. As far as he was concerned, **both** lakes were full of nothing edible!! But he did finally sigh in relief that his father wouldn't be visiting Skulker's Island any more!

Finally, Danny said, "Thanks Dad! These, uh, Ghost Gabberettes work great! Now, can Mom show me the cool—but not as cool as the gabberettes, you know—wrist Blazers?"

His father smiled and nodded and Danny went over to his mother. "Now, the lights don't come on unless you are actually using them. I did that on purpose," she started to tell him.

Jack groaned in disappointment, but Maddie just smiled back at Danny and continued, "I did that on purpose because I figured you would want to be as stealth as possible. And, if, uhm, if you actually had to use the Blazers, your secrecy wouldn't matter anymore," she informed him with a weak smile that bordered on worry.

Danny smiled assuredly back at her. He knew what she meant but he said instead, "What do all these buttons do?" He listened attentively as she proceeded to instruct him on how to use the new weapons.

After he was through and let them know about his plans, he headed upstairs, eager to show his friends their new gadgets.

"Hey!" Tucker finally said after Danny let him try the Blazers on. Tucker went right to looking at the buttons and excitedly played with all of them. Danny didn't need to worry about the "on" switch since the weapons would only work with his ectoplasmic rays. "Now all three of us have some kind of defense against the Spectre! I have my PDA, Sam has Libro, and you have your Blazers! Sweet!"

"And then, there's still Danny's ice powers," Sam reminded them. "And you might get the opportunity to see if your wulf claws or ghostly wail will help as well."

"Then, we're as ready as we'll ever be…for now," Danny said. "But, it'll have to wait until the weekend after next, you know!"

At first they didn't know what he meant; and after a moment, Tucker said, "Oh, yeah…this weekend is Thanksgiving!!!"

"And then we'll get right on it!" Danny said.

And his friends nodded, and knew it would be a long anticipated wait.


	19. Chapter 19 More Brewings

**A/N: So far: Danny has gotten a new weapon and smaller versions of the ghost gabbler from his parents for Sam and Tucker. You should know all about the Spectre's history. And, of course, I hope you're liking this story…Now, here is Chapter 19…Enjoy! And, of course, I-do-noac, except the Spectre! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 19—More Brewings

After a thankful Thanksgiving for Danny, a boring one for Sam, and a pig-out smorgasbord one for Tucker, they finally saw each other at school the following Monday.

"Man, I'm glad that's over for another year!" Sam said as she saw her two best friends again. "If I had to be sweet to my cousins any longer, I just knew I was gonna lose it and tie them up by their thumbs! They are so bratty!"

Danny chuckled, "Well, that all comes with the territory, you know. I had a great time, but I did miss you both, of course!"

Tucker added, "Ditto, here! I wish you both could have sampled some of my grandmother's cooking! I start dreaming of Thanksgiving right after finishing up my Halloween candy!"

"Which means the very next day!" Sam dryly retorted.

"Yeah, but 'sweet dreaming' it is every single night!" He licked his lips unconsciously and both Danny and Sam laughed.

Tucker snickered too; and they headed to their classes.

Finally, the week flew by and it was Friday again. And that would mean going to Shadesville in the morning.

After school, the trio met up again. As they walked home, Danny said, "We can start for Shadesville tomorrow again, if it's OK with your folks."

"Well, I don't think it's ever totally OK with my folks. But grandma usually talks them into anything, so I don't worry," Sam said, smiling mischievously.

The boys grinned and then Tucker said, "At least my folks never mind. I think they half-expect me to NOT be home on weekends!"

All three friends chuckled.

"And it would be good for you to know, Danny, that this time I'll be bringing money instead of all that food. My parents didn't have anything left for the weekend when I took all that stuff the last time and they gave me extra money instead!" Tucker announced.

"Yeah, you're right, Tuck. We need to pack light. OK, then, we'll meet up again early tomorrow and head to Shadesville!" Danny said and all three friends laughed again as they headed home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx

Early the next morning, as the friends prepared for their trip to the 'city of the happy fall', Jiva was in her room finalizing her new plans. She had already summoned the servants to gather all the names of the Spectre soldiers and bring them to her. She also had had her servants begin the preparations for her trip. She looked the entire list over. She would need to gather a group of Spectre to accompany her in her quest.

She floated back and forth, arguing with herself, "Now where do I find him? I had him and now I do not! I need to make sure I do not lose the path! And I am now very certain he has had the scrolls! But how does he read them? He had to know them somehow! Why else would he and his flesh creatures have been at that flesh town or have been at that pier of Ombre?" She huffed in anger, "And my spies at that flesh-town had also failed to bring them to me! He is stronger than I thought!" But then she smiled in delight. That's exactly what she wanted! But not so strong that she could not get to him. She went to her mirror again and uttered to herself, "I have to do more to weaken him! If I do not, I may never have him! But how can I do anything if I cannot find him? "

She stopped and tried to concentrate, but growled in disappointment, until she thought a word had been formed in her mind: 'Shadesville'. She smiled, again saying to herself, "That is right! We were once there! And my father had said the second scroll had something to do with the flesh-city of Shadesville! They may be going there! But I will have to be sure. Maybe I will have to take this matter into my own hands, and I will have to have that band of force when I start!" She glided to her night table and quickly began to scribble something down. She threw the other list away. "Yes, this will do…."

But her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter!" she commanded.

It was Spectro.

"Your Highness," he said with a low bow.

"Spectro!" she said in surprise. "What do you want?"

"To volunteer my services to you when you go on your quest."

"How do you know of such things?" she asked suspiciously. She looked the young Spectre over. He was so arrogant and commanding that she often forgot that he was only just a little older than she. And even though her father trusted this Spectre in spite of his youth, she trusted no one.

"Your father, of course, Princess!" Spectro calmly replied.

"He does not know of my plans!" she spat back. "How do you?"

"I beg your pardon, Mistress, but he _**does not **_know; but you have not made it unobvious that you are planning something. The whole castle is bustling with unusual activity. That could only mean that either you or His Highness is in the midst of planning. And your father does **not **make schemes without the knowledge of his high commander, which would be, of course, me," he answered her, letting a wry smile escape him at the last comment.

She **knew** she couldn't trust him! He was also too clever! She was going to have to pay attention to how she organized things from now on.

Finally, she uttered, "I am on no quest. I have a surprise for my father! Yes! And I am planning a….a party in honor of my father to show him the 'surprise'. "

"Oh?" Spectro uttered, truly amazed by what she said. "For what occasion?"

"It would not be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" She cooed, suddenly getting up and moving toward him.

Now this time, he was uncomfortable. But he was a master of hiding his feelings and said, "No, Princess, it would not. Now, if I may have your leave?" He started to back up, avoiding her approach.

"No, you may not!" she said, stopping at her next thought, which was her original one before the High Commander had come. Only her father or Spectro had leave to command the Spectre soldiers. Too bad she would have to deal with Spectro after all! "I will need some reliable Spectre to carry the goods that I get when I shop for this…party."

"I will summon the groomsmen," Spectro began to say.

"No!" she said a little too forcefully. "I will need to get a lot of supplies and the Spectre soldiers are much stronger than the groomsmen. Fifty of them will suffice."

Though he knew very well that she was up to more than "shopping", Spectro knew even better to let it be for now…He bowed and replied, "As you wish, Highness. Ours are yours to command! I will inform the Spectre..."

"No," she again said with a little too much emphasis, but she quickly composed herself and said with more control, "That will not be necessary. I already have a list of Spectre soldiers I wish to accompany me."

She pointed to the list she had made, which was on the table. He went over to the list and picked it up. As he glanced over the names, he knew that these particular Spectre soldiers had dubious reputations. He grew even more suspicious than he all ready was of her plans. But instead, he bowed and replied with as much respect in his tone as he could muster, "As you wish, Princess. I will inform them right away. When do you need them?"

"That is not your concern," she replied, obviously keeping her irritation in check again. "Tell them that I will send for them when I am ready. Now, you may go!"

He bowed again and turned to leave.

"And Spectro?" she added.

He turned back to her.

"You would do yourself a wise favor to busy yourself with other affairs from now on. And you are to tell **no one** about of what we have just spoken. Do we have an understanding?" she cooed, but her soft tone barely hid her undeniable threat.

"Yes, Highness," he said in restraint and then turning away, frowned in disgust.


	20. Chapter 20 Closing In

**A/N: WOW!! My second story to reach 100 reviews!! YEE-HAW!! And to celebrate, here is another chappie, which I dedicate to my 100th reviewer, who happens to have a VERY cool name, namely: Shadow!! How cool and awesome is that: that my 100th reviewer for MY Shadow is Shadow!!! Well, let me calm down a little, but not with the story. Here's the summary so far: Danny and his friends returned from Thanksgiving vacation, eager and ready to start out to Shadesville. Jiva has just organized a dubious band of Spectre for her own plans. Now, hope you are still with me…It's still a VERY long ride!! Well, here is Chapter 20 and, of course, that IDNOAC is showing up again. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 20—Closing In

And as Spectro was leaving to inform the fifty Spectre soldiers of Jiva's command, Danny, Sam and Tucker had finally arrived at a forest on the outskirts of Shadesville.

"Looks like we gonna have to do a little research like we did at Shadow's End," Danny commented to his friends as they stashed Sam and Tucker's rocket boosters in some nearby bushes. "But maybe we need to be less obvious this time. What would you say if I just go and "borrow" the library books without having to actually check them out? Then I'll return them as soon as we're finished with them?"

Sam and Tucker looked at each other and the Sam slowly said, "Well, OK. But be sure to return them **right** after we're through."

"Yeah, don't worry, Sam. It's not like we really want to be actually caught with any books, you know," Tucker said.

They all laughed at the double meaning.

"Ok, guys, I'll be right back," Danny said, and then spying and pointing to a well-hidden area in the near distance, he added, "How about I meet you back over there?"

They nodded and then Tucker said, "And don't worry about getting a map of Shadesville. I still have mine from the Fall Festival." He quickly pulled it out and gave it to Danny.

"That's great, Tuck, but it doesn't show the entire city. I think it might be a good idea for us to know a little more detail about the geography, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, you're right, dude. We could use all the information that we can get."

Danny smiled and then after making a mental note of the place, quickly left. He lost little time 'borrowing' the books--compliments of his intangibility mode--and sped back to rendezvous with his friends at their designated spot.

They sat down on the blanket that they had brought and before they opened their books, Danny said, "Everyone knows to keep the next set of clues in mind, particularly about the "rings", right?"

Sam and Tucker nodded and they all began to read. Tucker investigated the history of Shadesville, Danny reviewed its geography, and Sam consulted Libro.

After about an hour, Danny put his book down and asked, "Well, did you guys find anything?"

"Not too much," Tucker began. "There were a set of rings that belonged to some socialite who claimed to be a medium. Apparently she was quite famous in her day for that and for her rings. She donated her whole collection to the local museum at the time of her death. But she couldn't be that famous, because they didn't even mention her name. How about you, dude?"

"Well, I looked over the entire city for landmarks. There's a mountain that might be the one we're looking for, and there's a small lake, but no other remarkable features, except the parks. There used to be an old circular park that the city used for circuses. Apparently, circuses were huge productions and very popular at that time. And the city has several other smaller parks and a lot of them are circular. Any one of them could be referred to as 'rings'." He paused and then looked at Sam and asked, "What about you, Sam? What did Libro say?"

"Not much either, really. There is an obscure reference to Shadesville. And it confirmed what Tucker already said but with a couple of interesting little twists."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, getting a little more excited. Tucker also brightened at her comment.

Sam continued, "Well, according to Libro, that socialite was very obsessed by her ring collection and she boasted to have acquired _ghost_ rings! No one believed her because they felt she was just making them up to promote her reputation as a medium. Apparently when her husband died, she went off the deep end and started to claim she was a medium. But everyone in town labelled her as 'famous' all right, famous for being a little crazy. That is why no one believed her about the rings. But according to Libro, it was supposed to be true! And by the way, I believe it, too. Do you want to know why?"

Danny and Tucker both nodded in tense anticipation.

Because her name was Graciella **Holton, **who had been married to.."

"….Aaron Holton, who became Ombre!" Tucker interrupted, his voice quivering in excitement just as he remembered the similarity in the last names.

"That must be it, then!" Danny's said, also just as excited as Tucker. "All we have to do is get to the museum and check out the next clue!"

"And return the books!" Sam reminded him.

He smiled, happy to have his Sam totally back. "And return the books," he softly replied.

This time, all three headed into town; Sam and Tucker waited not too far from the museum while Danny returned the books.

In no time, and having since returned to his human form, he met back up with them. They headed straight for the museum. But when they got to the entrance, they saw that they had just missed its closing time.

"Darn it!" Danny said in disappointment.

"Well, what would you say if we just "visit" the museum without checking in?" Sam wryly suggested.

"I'm sure rubbing off on you, huh, Sam?" Danny smirked back and looking around, he motioned to them to head to the alley that abutted the museum. Seeing that it was empty, he quickly reverted back to his black-and-white alter ego. But before he could grab his friends and make them all intangible to into the museum, his ghost sense alerted him.

He quickly searched around and finding nothing, whispered, "Guys! There must be a ghost nearby! Stay here, OK?"

He soared upward, searching, but he didn't see anything. Shrugging, he floated back down to his friends. Suddenly, as he neared his friends, who were standing next to some discarded boxes, his ghost sense went off again.

He scanned the area again and found nothing. But then it alerted him again just as he landed right next to Sam and Tucker. "What gives?" he asked them. "I can't find any ghosts!" Then thinking about how the ghosts had overshadowed the humans in Shadow's End, he blurted out, "Are **you** **two** all right?"

"C'mon, Danny, don't get all paranoid on us! We're fine," Sam insisted, catching his drift. "We've been with you the whole time and your ghost sense just went off when we got here and only down here!"

"But there's no ghost here or anywhere else!" Danny objected as his ghost sense went off again.

"Or, it just might be in the museum, which is where we would hope to find it! I mean _them_, the rings," Tucker added, pointing to a rusty door right behind the discarded boxes.

"You're right, Tuck! OK, then, here we go," his ghost friend said as he grabbed him and Sam, turned them all intangible, and phased through the museum door.

When they rematerialized, they were in the back room of the museum. Danny's ghost sense went off more strongly this time. "You're right again, Tucker! Let's hope that the ghost rings are in here! But, just in case, maybe you should put your gabberettes on and if you hear anything unusal, come get me, OK? And in the meantime, you and Sam better stay here until I check it out!"

"Be careful, Danny," Sam reminded him as she put in the ghost gabberettes in her ears. "You'll have to be ready. If it's not the rings making your ghost sense go off, it might be another Spectre. So be extra careful, OK?"

"You know I will!" Danny said, checking his Blazers to makes sure they were on. He turned intangible and invisible and headed toward the main room.

* * *

Jiva had to call for Asara's help once more, as the princess was still having difficulty locating the Phantom-of-the-flesh. Finally, with Asara's power, he was found. Jiva abruptly dismissed the old Spectre and just as Asara left, Jiva summoned her servant. She would have to act quickly to take advantage of this strong pathway. She was getting more and more impatient, and if this didn't work, she would have to make other plans. "Summon the Spectre I have picked! And I need the leader!" she hissed to the servant.

The servant bowed quickly and just as rapidly, the leader of her hand-picked band was at her door.

"Enter!" she anxiously called when she heard the knock.

The large Spectre bowed low.

She quickly said, "Bhuto! You are the one who is best for this task. I sense whom I search for in the flesh-town where we first encountered him. Go, find him; and when you do, injure him!"

"Injure him, Highness? But the Prophesy said…"

"I am of the House of the Prophesy! And it is by the leave of the Prophesy and Spectro that I command you! But hear me! I do not want him killed." She pulled out a red thread of shadow from her hair. She knew her power would weaken the Phantom-of-the-flesh's mind with doubt and open a channel for her. "Take this and wrap it around your amulet. You will then sense him because of me. When you stun him with your ray, it will do what I command." She closed her eyes and concentrated. Then she said, "Now, go to the flesh-city of Shadesville. The Phantom-of-the-flesh will be with two flesh creatures—a female and male. You will know which one he is because of me, so make sure your aim is true. Do not fail me, Bhuto!"

"Yes, Highness," Bhuto answered bowing low. He turned away, left her room, and soared away.

* * *

In no time, Bhuto had arrived at what he was certain was the designated spot. He then produced his large claws and tore a hole in the dimension, revealing the Real World. And just as Jiva had said, he **knew** where to go. He finally arrived at the museum and phased into the main room. And he waited for his chance….

…which came quicker than he could have hoped, for Danny was just phasing into the very same room as he. Suddenly, a puff of cold breath escaped from Danny's mouth. And when he penetrated further into the darkened room, it alerted him again.

"_Man, it's sure going crazy!"_ he thought of his ghost sense as it repeated its warning. The teen searched frantically but did not see Bhuto because of the many shadows that intertwined the room. But Bhuto knew that this was the one of whom Jiva spoke.

The ghost teen drew nearer to an odd display and then his heart and ghost sense jumped. It was a circular display of all kinds of rings! He drew even closer and he could not ignore his ghost sense again. Looking down into the display, he uttered under his breath, "The rings!"

One of the rings was glowing and burned even brighter as he leaned closer to it. It was beautiful. Its golden band was made up of several delicate golden threads interwoven tightly with each other and cradled a beautiful green jewel, which, of course, looked even more exquisite now that it was glowing. This time he ignored his ghost sense when he saw a second ring in another case that was also glowing, but not as brightly. It, too, looked exactly like the first, but was slightly smaller. He turned and drew nearer to it; and when he did, it flared even more brightly than the first. His ghost sense went off again. "This must be them!" He said with excitement. "I better go get Sam and Tucker!"

And as he turned to go, he suddenly felt a stinging, burning pain rivet his body from behind, followed by emptiness, and then followed by total blackness.


	21. Chapter 21 Anxious Attack

**A/N: Well, how's it going? Getting juicy yet? You bettcha!! Remember that Danny, Sam and Tucker are at the museum in Shadesville and Danny has been attacked again by another Spectre, who is now working for Jiva. Now, here is Chapter 21. Enjoy and, of course, IDNOAC! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 21—Anxious Attack

Sam looked at Tucker and Tucker looked at her. They both had heard the same noises: a strange-sounding ectoplasmic blast and a thud. Whipping out their weapons—Libro and the PDA—they ran toward the main room.

Anxiously searching in the dark room, they finally caught a glimpse of something on the floor and something else hovering over it. Libro immediately leapt right out of Sam's hands and flew his covers open, emitting a powerful greenish-white light as he hurled himself at Bhuto. His light emblazed the entire room, and both Sam and Tucker had to momentarily shield their eyes.

The shadow ghost shrieked in intense pain and was immediately thrust back to the Ghost Zone with the force from the beam.

"Danny!" both Sam and Tucker cried when they caught sight of him in the light. They ran up to him and knelt by his unconscious ghost form, just as Libro dulled and fell to the floor again. Sam and Tucker looked down at their friend in the now darkened room and were momentarily blinded again with the light of his transformation rings as he reverted back to his human form.

Sam touched Danny when her eyes finally adjusted, and he immediately groaned. "Danny!" she breathed again.

He opened his eyes and smiled weakly through his blurry vision when he first saw her. Then his eyes frantically skittered around. He frowned in doubt and confusion, then uttered, "Uh, what are you doing here, Sam? And why is it so dark? I don't like it here! Uh, aren't you supposed to be home or something?"

"C'mon, Tucker! Help me get him up!" the girl commanded and together the two friends helped Danny up to a sitting position.

"Tucker?" Danny murmured, finally seeing him, "Where are we? And why are we in this dark room? I hate dark rooms!"

"Dude, we're at the museum in Shadesville, looking for clues, remember?"

Danny just looked at him in confusion, not understanding what Tucker had said.

"He's been hit by the Spectre that Libro attacked! We have to find the wound, Tucker!" Sam commanded again, and together, they began to examine their friend.

But Danny objected, pulling away from them, "What are you guys doing? Stop it! You're making me nervous!"

Tucker pulled back, but Sam didn't, and she struggled to get him to cooperate. "Tucker, help me!" she commanded again.

Tucker again tried to help but then Danny grew angry and his eyes burned green. "You're both being crazy!' he yelled, pulling more forcefully away when his friends ignored him. He shoved Tucker off of him.

"And you're acting like a friggin' dweeb!" Sam firmly said, grabbing his hands and struggling with him. "Look, I know you can't help it, but you have to stop fighting me! Let me help you!"

Danny was still trying to get her to let go, but not with as much vigor upon hearing her insult. "Uh, wait, what did you just call me? Did you just call me a _dweeb_?" he asked her, appalled, although his mind was still being affected by the ray.

"No, I called you a _friggin' dweeb_! Now, listen! We have to find the wound! You were shot by a Spectre!"

Tucker was already pulling out the reed leaves and pods he had kept from their attack at Ombre's pier. Then he saw Danny's wound and he yelled to Sam, "The wound is on his back, Sam! I see the green blood!"

"And he's beginning to burn with fever again!" Sam yelled back, still struggling to get Danny to lie down.

But ignoring both of his friends, Danny yelled in panic, "Spectre? The Spectre have been here? I can't fight them all! And they hurt me so badly the last time! What am I going to do?" He suddenly felt more lost and he didn't know that his desperation had triggered his transformation back into Danny Phantom.

He suddenly let go of Sam and brought his hands together. He wrung them intensely together and uttered, "Spectre! They're all over the place! I got to get out of here!"

Then he started to get up and Sam commanded, "Danny, stop it! Please! Just calm down and let us help you!" She grabbed him by his hands again and struggled harder.

And suddenly, Danny thought about his nightmare, the one he had about Sam and her claws.

"No, Sam, don't!" he cried and willed his own wulf claws out.

Sam gasped at his sudden change in demeanor. He was no longer just confused. He was confused, fearful and angry. She pulled away and he fell back. But then he soared upward, readying his claws to attack her.

Sam and Tucker both gasped helplessly when suddenly Libro flew between Sam and Danny. He flung his covers open and emitted a very intensely blue, hot light which was so strong that Danny shielded his eyes and screamed.

"Get away!" he demanded as he lashed out at the book.

But Libro quickly dodged the boy's swipe and intensified the light and heat.

Panting heavily in panic, the ghost boy flew upward, trying to avoid Libro's energy beams. But Libro would not yield and continued in his attack. Danny charged back with his claws, but because of the light, could not locate Libro's position. Still, the teen swiped wildly and rushed toward the book. Just at the last moment, when it looked as if Danny's claws were going to run Libro through, the book darted away and Danny slammed into the wall that had been behind Libro.

At that precise moment, Libro jerked around and shot his powerful beam of blue light and heat right at Danny's wound.

Danny screamed in immense pain and fell unconscious to the floor below. The boy then reverted back to his human form. Libro quickly extinguished his light and floated downward and landed right next to the still boy just as Sam and Tucker rushed over.

"Danny!" they both screamed as they got to him.

But he didn't respond.

Tucker looked in fear at his friend, and did not notice that Libro had his covers open and was writing. But Sam did and quickly read what he was saying.

"He'll be all right, Sam!" Libro wrote, "His wound is healed! Just let him rest a while." He then quickly and quietly shut his cover.

"Thank you," Sam gently said to Libro, brushing Danny's raven hair off his face. He was still wet with sweat and a little warm, though his fever was now gone.

But Tucker looked at Sam with shock and fear, "Did you just say, 'Thank you'? What for? Why did Libro attack him? I thought he was our friend! Is Danny going to be all right?" He was obviously very upset that Libro had done that to his friend.

"Libro must have some healing powers, Tucker, because he just told me that Danny is healed!" Sam said, trying to assure her friend.

Tucker blinked in as much confusion as Danny had been. "But how…?" he began, but she interrupted him…

"Remember I told you he could write? Well, he just told me that Danny is going to be all right, Tucker! Now help me get Danny off the floor. I saw a bench in the back room. We can put him there until he comes to."

"OK, Sam," Tucker muttered, still trying to sort everything out.

Sam placed Libro in her backpack and then both she and Tucker gently lifted Danny and started to carry him to the back room.

But just as they were weaving through the circular display of rings, Tucker noticed the change in two of the rings encased there.

"Hey!" Tucker exclaimed. "Did you see that, Sam? A couple of the rings in that case weren't glowing before and now they are!"

Sam glanced over at them and said between gasps, "That's great, Tucker! But can we sight-see after we put Danny down?"

They finally got their friend to the back room and lay him on the bench. Sam spied some soft packaging material and rolled it up and placed it under his head. She smiled weakly now that she was satisfied that he would be comfortable until he came to.

"OK. Danny should be all right for now, Tucker. How about you go on ahead and look at those rings. I'll be right there in a minute, OK?"

"Sure, Sam," he said, though she could tell by his voice that he was still obviously upset. Sam placed her hand gently on his shoulder just as he turned to go. He stopped and looked at her.

He was surprised at how softly her eyes matched her voice as she said, "Hey! I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about Libro in the first place. He is our friend and we all can trust him. I knew he wouldn't hurt Danny. So, don't worry, OK?" And she gave him a quick, though sincere, hug as she added, "Uhm, and thanks, you know, as always, for everything!

"Sure, Sam," he said, and Sam sighed, satisfied that this time her friend's voice also sounded relieved. He smiled weakly and headed out to the main room.

Sam quickly took Libro out of her backpack and remarked, "Uh, thank you again, Libro! But why didn't you do this at the pier?"

Libro opened his covers and wrote, "I thought you might ask. I can heal small wounds. What happened at the pier was beyond my powers. But I knew the reeds would definitely work. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before."

Sam smiled and glanced back at Danny; and then looked at Libro again and replied, "That's OK, my friend. After all, it's only the third time you saved Danny. But who's counting?"

Libro quickly flipped his covers open and shut again before shuddering and then quieting completely. Sam gently placed the book into her backpack. Then she lightly and gently caressed Danny's cheek. He was still a little warm but he definitely wasn't sweating any more. She hurried to join Tucker.

As she neared, she could see that Tucker had a frown on his face.

"What's wrong, Tucker?" she asked him even though he was still a little ways from her. The girl's face immediately scrunched up in worry when she saw the expression on his face.

"The rings!" he moaned. "They're not glowing any more! They were glowing when we went by them carrying Danny."

Sam finally drew near enough and just as she was approaching her friend's side, two of the rings began to glow again.

"What did you do?" Tucker asked in awe.

"Nothing, I swear!" she insisted but her quick mind concluded, "Do you think maybe they glowed when Danny was near them? Well, **Libro's** in my backpack. Maybe the rings recognize ghostly things or something!"

"Well, let's test that!" he said as he went up to Sam and opened her backpack. He hesitated, and instead of reaching in, he asked, "May I, Libro?" He paused again, but then reached in and pulled Libro out. "Thanks man, I mean, Libro!" he uttered, very pleased that the book trusted him after all. Now he was no longer afraid of Libro.

"OK, Sam, Libro and I are going to walk away now." He proceeded to do just that and the rings immediately dulled.

Sam enthusiastically said, "They've stopped glowing, Tucker! Now walk back with Libro, OK?"

Tucker nodded and as he and the book approached, the two of the rings glowed again. Tucker was surprised that Libro shuddered a little as well. But he shrugged it off, smiled and remarked, "Hey, you were right, Sam! These rings must sense other ghosts!"

"And that's why Danny didn't notice that Spectre! His ghost sense would have been triggered by the rings, too!"

"I can't wait to tell him! Hey, don't you think we need to check on him?" Tucker asked, still holding Libro.

They both didn't need any more encouragement for that and they headed back to where their friend was.

Sam put her hand on Danny's forehead. It felt normal. She caressed the rest of his face and he suddenly groaned and his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Sam? What are you doing here?" he muttered, but then his mind began to clear, and he jolted with his first memory. "Uh, did you just call me a dweeb?" he asked, reflexively putting his hand to his forehead.

She chuckled in relief and said, "No, a friggin' dweeb!" But before he could respond to that comment, she added, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I think so. What happened?"

"You got attacked by another Spectre!" she softly said.

"And Libro healed you again!" Tucker blurted out, holding the book up for Danny to see. The bespectacled boy was relieved that his friend seemed to be OK.

Danny blinked and looked at Sam and then at Tucker. He had only a vague memory on what happened. He then smiled nervously and said, "Did I do anything stupid?"

"Not anything a friggin' dweeb wouldn't do!" Sam teased, quickly grabbing his hand and squeezing it with reassurance to let him know that she was just kidding. "But we're glad that you look and seem better."

Danny smiled in embarrassment and replied, "Well, thanks again, guys, and especially you again, Libro!"

The book shuddered, acknowledging the boy's appreciation.

Danny continued, "It sure is easy for these Spectre to kick my butt! And obviously, my Blazers didn't do me any good this time, either."

"Well, he did hit you from behind, the jerk!" Tucker said, trying to bolster his friend's feelings.

"But why didn't my ghost sense alert me?"

"It did! But you thought it was because of the ghost rings!" Sam assured him.

"That's right! I remember now!" Danny said, suddenly brightening. "And speaking of those rings, we should get back to those clues!"

"Only if you think you're OK, dude," Tucker replied, touching his friend on the shoulder.

"I'm fine, really, Tuck! Don't worry, OK?" Danny said, placing his hand on Tucker's shoulder in turn.

Sam and Tucker then told Danny all about what happened with the rings and with renewed earnest, they all headed back to the ring room.


	22. Chapter 22 More Answers or More Riddles?

**A/N: So far: Well, poor Danny got attacked by another Spectre again, but Libro again healed him. Now, the trio have discovered some odd rings. Here we go with that IDNOAC and Chapter 22. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 22—More Answers or More Riddles?

Jiva floated back and forth in her room, waiting anxiously and impatiently for the return of Bhuto.

Finally, there was a slight rap on the door.

"Enter!" she tersely said.

It was Bhuto. He bowed very low to her, afraid to look up. Thinking quickly, he knew how he would answer her.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"He has been wounded, Highness!" he replied, keeping his head down.

"Good! You may leave me!"

Bhuto bowed low again, and slowly backed out of the room. He dare not meet eyes with her or let her see the wounds he had gotten from Libro.

Jiva giggled in delight, her ruby red lips flaring a little. "Finally! Now I will convince him to come to me!" She closed her eyes and concentrated. At first, she felt nothing. Her thoughts jumped at her. Did Bhuto lie to her? She concentrated even harder and then a channel started to open. "Weak, but may be effective. I am pleased that the Phantom is stronger than I thought. He is perfect! But I should have given Bhuto more of my power to infect him with. No matter, it will do for now…."

* * *

Meanwhile, Phasma was also pacing back and forth in the Room of Authority. Many other and obviously older Spectre were gathered there and all of them watched the Prophesy as he became more agitated. Finally he commanded, "Get out!"

All of them left in a huff and left him unsatisfied. He hated these Spectre Elders. They were relentless in their demands. And he hated the fact that he didn't know where the scrolls were. Even Jiva admitted that she couldn't help him in this matter. He knew what needed to be done. He hastened to strike the nearby gong. A servant immediately came in.

"I need Spectro, now!" he growled and the servant trembled and left as the leader's crown of red flames intensified.

In no time, Spectro arrived. He rapped lightly on the door.

"Enter!" Phasma hissed.

Spectro came in and bowed low. "My lord?" he asked.

"It is time that we look for the scrolls! Those inane and decrepit Spectre Elders are more stubborn than I thought! Even with the amulet I could not convince them to forget about the Omen of the Prophecy! We must retrace our steps."

"As you wish, my lord. I will make haste the preparations," the young general replied and bowed again, making sure that this time, his bow was low enough that Phasma would not see his second-in-command's worried face.

* * *

And as Jiva and Phasma were contriving their own new sets of plans, Danny, Sam and Tucker had returned to the main room of the museum to inspect the rings. Just as they entered, Danny's ghost sense went off. "If might be from the rings, of course," he began, reverting instantly back to his ghost alter ego. "But we have to make sure. Could you guys get your PDA and Libro out just in case? And I'm glad you still have your ghost gabberettes still on. That way, one of us is sure to hear any Spectre."

Both Sam and Tucker nodded and just as Sam took out and opened her backpack, Libro floated upward, opened his covers and began to write. "I do not think any Spectre are here now. I will let you know if one comes, all right?"

"Cool!" Tucker said in awe when he saw Libro's writing for the first time. "I know you said he could do that, Sam, but, cool!"

"You're a good friend to have, Libro!" Danny commented as he winked at Sam.

Libro shook a little in response and remained suspended in the air, as if he were on guard.

And just as Sam and Tucker rechecked that their ghost gabberettes were on, Danny phased his hand through the case that held one of the now slightly glowing rings. Just as he grasped it, a sudden thought jolted through his head, and the glow extinguished. He could see the picture of a Spectre. But it looked like no other Spectre he had encountered before. In fact, this Spectre had a more human form. He could clearly distinguish all his features which, again, were very human-like. The ghost's eyes were an intense green but there was also something very kind about them. And he had green flame-like hair. Somehow, Danny liked this Spectre.

But what Danny didn't know was that he was holding the ring that had belonged to Ombre and Ombre's imprint was still in the ring. And what the ghost teen also didn't' know was that Jiva was concentrating on him at precisely that same moment, trying to influence his thoughts…

"What?" Jiva uttered, surprised that what she saw in Danny's thoughts were not his own. "What is that creature?" she demanded as she and Danny both now saw the imprint that turned out to be Ombre in the ring.

And the image blocked whatever suggestions the Spectre princess wanted to imprint on Danny's mind. She severed the connection in a huff. "When will I get through?" she growled and threw herself on her bed, wracking her mind in disgust. Finally, she knew what she needed to do. She would summon Asara again and get that Spectre to give her more power…

As Danny brought the ring over to show Sam and Tucker, he neared Libro and Libro suddenly shuddered. Danny and Tucker looked up at him in response, but Libro merely floated away in another direction.

"It's beautiful!" Sam uttered as she looked at the ring.

"And I saw some kind of Spectre when I touched this ring!" Danny said, and he proceeded to describe the ghost to them, still not aware that it was a vision of Ombre that he had seen.

"So, he looked human?" Tucker asked again, stroking his chin in thought. "Do you think it might be Ombre?"

"Great guess, Tuck. Could be, but I don't know. I've never seen him before," Danny said.

"Well, what about the other ring, then?" Tucker asked again. "Let's see what you get from that one?"

Danny put Ombre's ring back into the case and took out the other one, which by now was also glowing. Just as he touched it, its glow also disappeared and another image suddenly appeared in his mind. "Hey, guys! This one looks more like a 'normal' Spectre. It's much younger and really looks like a kid. But it also has flaming green hair." He paused at the odd thought, and muttered to himself, "Hmm, he looks…yet I couldn't have seen him before, could I?" Then, he added more loudly, "But somehow he looks familiar. But, then, of course, I've tasted so much of those Spectre's powers, I may be confusing how all of them look!"

He put the ring back into the case again.

"Then what does all this mean?" Sam asked.

Danny answered, "I don't know! But I have a feeling that it's **very **important!"

The three stared at each other, at a lost for ideas. Then Danny said, "Well, why don't we go back to the clue again? Maybe that'll help us figure out a connection?"

"Great idea, Danny!" Tucker said, as he pulled out his PDA and began to punch on it. "OK. Here goes…" And he proceeded to read: "'In the city of the happy fall'—We know that, of course!... 'In the center of the rings'—We're in the center of the rings, aren't we?... 'Strike the crystal ball'"...They looked around but there no crystal balls around… "'Look to where it sings'".

They stood with no answer for that one.

Sam looked down at the rings again. Though the jewels in them were green in color, they were **crystals**! "Hey! Maybe the puzzle means the rings themselves! They are crystals, you know!" she blurted out.

"You might be right, Sam!" Danny agreed as he stepped next to her. He phased his hand through each case again, retrieving both rings this time. Just as Danny pulled the second one out, he placed it next to the other and they accidentally bumped together. They glowed again, even more intensely this time than before Danny picked them up; but the brightness did not hurt any of the three friends' eyes.

"Whoa! Did you see that, guys?!" Danny said as he drew the rings nearer to each other again, now purposely touching them together. And as his friends watched with widened eyes, the rings blazed more fiercely and then the young ghost instinctually gazed down into the crystals…

Meanwhile, just as Danny had touched the rings together, Johnny 13's ring suddenly brightened. "Huh?! What's this?" the biker uttered instantly noticing the change. He looked around. Shadow was only a few feet away, but the Spectre wasn't looking his way and didn't act or look differently. "Hey, buddy," the biker called to Shadow. The Spectre looked up. "Why is your ring glowing?"

Shadow startled in fear. He had not caused it, but who did? He suddenly had a thought. He knew that could mean only one thing.

Shadow quickly went over and inspected the glowing ring on his friend's finger. Deep within the crystal he saw…Danny looking back at him!

Shadow pulled away and uttered something to Johnny 13.

"No!" Johnny 13 gasped. "But how did he get them? And he can see through them? He's not a Spectre! Or is one near him? And he must have both rings together! Only their combined power could summon yours! But how did he find them? You said Graciella hid them. So, where are they?"

Shadow began to flee. Johnny 13 quickly caught up with him, pulled him around and firmly said, "Listen, Shadow! After all we've been through together, we need to know! Only **you** can see through the crystal! I can only talk with it with your help. You need to find out where the other two are! They are dangerous to you if they're together!"

Shadow turned away from fear, but the biker ghost would not let go. Shadow paused and then turned back to his friend and silently nodded.

Danny gasped at the glimpse he had of Johnny 13's shadow ghost when he first brought up the touching rings and looked into them.

"What's wrong?" Tucker uttered, seeing the change in Danny's face.

Danny shook his head and looked into the rings again. This time he saw nothing. Then he answered his friend. "I don't know, Tuck. But I swear I saw Johnny 13's shadow ghost looking back at me for a second! But now he's gone!"

Sam furrowed her brow in thought as she looked at the two glowing rings, trying to piece everything together. "Ring!" she shouted and the boys jumped. "Sorry, guys!' she sheepishly said and then added, "Doesn't Johnny 13 have a ring?"

"Yes, and his shadow ghost is a Spectre! He has to be!" Danny exclaimed. "Remember? That would explain why he was so frightened when I called him that a few weeks ago and why he was searching in my room!"

"That must be it!" Tucker agreed.

"Well, it's time to see what this is all about, then! We have to go to the Ghost Zone!" Danny decided, placing each ring in separate pockets of his costume. "Obviously, Johnny 13's Shadow must be more involved in this than we thought!"


	23. Chapter 23 Shadow's Story

**A/N: Well, well, are you still with me so far? Getting **_**more**_** complicated? You bet! Jiva's trying to find Danny, the trio have found two glowing ghost rings, and Danny found Johnny 13's Shadow ghost by accident through the rings. And Phasma is off to search for the scrolls again…Getting exciting? It is for me! And now, here is the IDNOAC thing and Chapter 23. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 23—Shadow's Story

After having put each of the mysterious rings into separate pockets of his costume, Danny produced his wulf claws. He tore a hole in the dimension just large enough for all him and his friends; and then grabbing them, jumped in.

They looked around, trying to get their bearings in the Ghost Zone.

"OK, looks like we're near Skulker's Island," Danny said, rechecking around them. "That's good and bad."

"Huh?" Tucker asked, confused by his friend's remark.

Danny chuckled. "It's good because I know where we are. But it's bad because I never know where Johnny 13 and his shadow are! Usually he's on out on his motorcycle with his shadow, sometimes in this area, and then I just happen upon them. I've never come across their lair before."

"Then how are we going to find them?" Sam asked, frowning in irritation.

"Well, I was hoping we might run into them just by popping in like this," Danny sheepishly smiled. "But since that didn't work, I have another idea! Let's land over on that empty shelf over there." He steered all three to the shelf and then he reached into his two pockets and retrieved the rings. He smiled wryly and said, "Let's see if he has his 'cell phone' on!"

He took the two rings—which were now no longer glowing at all—as his friends looked on. But before he did anything else, Danny looked at his friends and commented, "Good. Both of you still have the miniature ghost gabbers on. Maybe with all of us listening we can make some sense of this all." Then he said, "OK, the last time I saw Johnny 13's Shadow I hit the rings and brought them close together. Here goes!" He tapped them slightly together and they grew brilliant with their glow. Again, the intensity, though bright, did not hurt any of their eyes. Finally, he brought them so they were slightly touching each other at the bottom corner of each of their crystals and the light between the two of them shone more grandly…

Meanwhile, Johnny 13's ring suddenly began to glow again. But this time, it was glowing more brightly than before, and Johnny 13 looked at it, getting more excited as he did. "Hey, something's, like, up again, Shadow! You know, maybe the other rings are together again. OK, buddy, it's time to contact the Ghost Kid. That little man may be a pest, but he's always been straight up with us even when he's kicking our butts! So, give me a little help here."

And Shadow put his hand on his friend's shoulder as Johnny 13 looked down at the ring….

Danny then uttered, "OK, here goes." He looked into the rings again, making sure they touched each other. Sam and Tucker hunched over his shoulders and Danny hesitated a little when the extreme light from the rings now enveloped all three friends. But oddly, they all still noticed that the rings' brilliance did not hurt their eyes. Danny looked down again and uttered, "Uhm, hello?"

And then he and his friends jumped a little when a voice answered back. "Uh, hello?" And all three instantly recognized Johnny 13's voice!

"Johnny 13?" Danny reflexively answered back. "Uhm, where are you? You're not **in** the ring, are you?" He winced when he realized how stupid that must have sounded.

"No, little man," the biker laughed. "You do have the other two rings, right? That is why we can hear each other. Uhm, I guess we'll have to meet. We all have a lot of questions I'm sure. Do you know where that dude Skulker's island is?"

"Yes, we're very close to it right now," Danny told him.

"'We're' ?" Johnny 13 queried. "Oh, are your two 'side-kicks' with you?"

"Friends!" Danny firmly corrected him.

"All right, all right, whatever. It's cool, little man! Anyhow, you need to pass Skulker's Island to the west and you'll see a ghost shelf. Land there and look for a reflection just to the north. We'll be at the end of that."

"OK, Johnny. We'll be there as soon as we can," Danny replied and he pulled the two rings apart and put them each back into a separate pocket.

"Geez, he sounds like he's is in some kind of mystery story," Tucker said.

"As long as we get there, who cares?" Sam replied.

The trio did as instructed. When they arrived at the shelf, they huddled toward the northern end, straining to see the reflection. All three saw it at once and scooping up his friends, Danny soared right to it. But as they drew neared, they could see no lair. Still, they kept on in the same direction and before they knew it, they were suddenly in some sort of lair.

"Cool!" Tucker couldn't help but say. "A secret lair!"

"Yeah, like to keep it that way, too, if you don't mind, dude," Johnny 13 growled approaching them from their right.

"Like your Shadow left my place alone!" Danny growled back.

"All right, little man! You gotta a point. But we're here because of the something more important. C'mon!" And the biker turned and the three friends followed.

They came to a wider area and Shadow was at the far end. Johnny motioned with his head and Shadow hesitated to approach. He finally did, but remained silent.

"OK, Johnny, I'm just gonna come out with it," Danny said as he pulled out the two other rings, which were all ready glowing again. "What do you know about these two rings?"

Suddenly, now that all three rings were together, all three began to burn intensely with white then greenish-white light. But then they glowed even more brightly when Danny brought his two together so that they touched again. And once more, though all three rings now shone brightly, the light they emitted still did not harm anyone's eyes.

Everyone there stood stunned in silence at the event, but then Danny was the first to recover and said, "OK, you definitely must know something about these two—or I should say—_three_ rings!"

Shadow looked at Johnny 13 and the biker looked back at his friend. Shadow lowered his eyes and nodded in approval.

Johnny 13 sighed and then said, "OK. It's time you know, little man—" Then looking at Sam and Tucker, added, "—and 'friends'—especially since the jig is up anyway."

Danny pulled the rings apart and put them back in his pockets. And then Johnny 13 began the story on how he met his Shadow friend…

"I don't think you know that I didn't always have my Shadow. Many years ago, way before any of you three were born, I was just as any young ghost out here, having fun as usual, not having a care in the Ghost Zone about anything."

"One day, during my usual joy-ride, a hole in the dimension suddenly ripped right open in front of me. I almost plunged into it with my bike and stopped just in time when a barely visible and quite beaten up young black entity fell right at my feet. I had never seen anything like it before. It spoke in gibberish and kept rambling on and on, but it was obviously very confused, upset and, more importantly, very hurt!"

Johnny turned and looked at Shadow sympathetically when he remembered the event. He continued, "At first, of course, I didn't want to get involved. Especially since I had no idea what he was talking about during this entire time. But his eyes were so pleading that I just knew I had to, you know, help him. But I didn't know how…"

"I never had to do anything responsibly before and I was scared stiff! So I put him on my bike—which, by the way, was not as cool as the one I have now—and headed to the only ghost who could possibly help me—Clockwork!"

Danny, Sam and Tucker looked at each other in surprise. But Shadow did not look at them and kept silent.

Johnny went on, "At first, of course, Clockwork didn't want to help me or even help what would become my best bud."

Danny nodded in agreement. Clockwork never readily helped anyone—unless it was absolutely necessary.

"But he did, you know, let me use this very strange little book that he said would help my friend. It was a book on ghost injuries and stuff and cures…"

Sam gasped at the news.

Johnny 13 looked at her. He shook his head in confusion at her reaction, but continued, "But Clockwork wouldn't let me take it with me. He said the book was needed for some other more important stuff. So, I memorized the cure for my friend; and took him back to my lair and began to, ya know, nurse him back to health."

He looked to his Shadow again, and smiled weakly, "Can you imagine me, like, ever being that responsible? But it was worth it!" He paused a moment, trying to decide whether to reveal anymore. But his shadow friend nodded, silently egging him on.

Nodding back, Johnny 13 continued, "At first, it was impossible to get much out of him because he was so freakin' out of his head. And I couldn't get his language at all. But then he had this strange ring…" Johnny 13 paused, reflexively picking up his hand and looking at the still glowing band around his finger… "He tried to give it to me at first because he seemed thankful that I didn't want to, like, harm him, and actually was helping him instead. But I refused it until he became too crazy for me to even calm him or make heads or tails out of any attempt he made to talk to me. So, uhm, I took the ring and placed it on my finger and his gibberish began to make sense!"

He looked to his Shadow again and his friend still nodded, encouraging Johnny 13 to go on. "And then I learned who he was and where he came from."

The biker ghost paused again when he saw his friend suddenly frowned. Should he tell them everything? "Uhm, could you give us a minute?" he suddenly asked the three teens. Before they could answer, Johnny 13 had pulled his friend aside.

This time, Shadow made a comment and even though Sam and Tucker had their ghost gabberettes on, they could only hear his low growl. Danny, too, had trouble hearing what Shadow was saying because the shadow ghost was talking so low. But he did catch a few words, like his name and "Spectre".

"Do you think it wise to tell Phantom everything about the Spectre?" Shadow asked the biker. "I do not know if I trust him… And I do not want everything about my…family…being told."

"It's OK, my friend," Johnny 13 assured him. "Even though the Phantom kid can be a real thorn in our sides, you have to admit that he's really pretty on the level. And we still don't know what's going on with the Spectre now and maybe he knows and can help us!"

"OK, Johnny, if you think so, I will do what you say; but I am still not sure," Shadow said and they both returned to the three teens.

Johnny then said, "Now, where was I? Oh, yeah….When I was finally able to understand my Shadow, I learned that he was a Spectre, which was a strange race of ghosts." Johnny paused again, expecting a reaction from the teens. But he didn't know that they had already heard of the Spectre and were not surprised by the name. The biker ghost shrugged again and continued, "Anyhow, like I was saying, the Spectre weren't like any ghosts around here, or, uhm, anywhere else for that matter. They were always total ghosts, uh, you know, really spirits, and had never been human…" He paused again and then smiled slightly when he now saw a surprised look on his visitor's faces.

And then Johnny 13 gave the same history lesson of the Spectre that Phasma had given Jiva, except for a few important—and truthful—differences…

The biker continued, "Uh, for instance, the rings. You kids already figured out that they have some kind of power…"

Shadow growled, interrupting his friend. Johnny 13 understood his Shadow's correction, cleared his throat and replied, "Well, yeah, I need to get that cleared up. And back up a little more. You see, you remember how I told you that an amulet was brought to the Spectre by a ghost that was not a Spectre?"

Danny and his friends nodded and then tensed up, already guessing what the biker ghost was about to say...

Johnny 13 went on, "Well, he was a human ghost who happened upon the Spectre when he was exploring the Ghost Zone. He had been a very important dude named Aaron Holton when he was in the Real World and had been bumped off at a pier trying to stop child labor…Well, the Spectre had never seen human ghosts before, and, ya know, didn't know what to make of him. He was not a Spectre, and they refused to call him that, but they wanted to call him something else, so they referred him to as a "shadow-of-the-flesh" or sometimes, a "flesh-shadow". In fact, that's what all the Spectre called all the human ghosts from then on. Because of another "shadow-of-the-flesh" that came upon them. But, uhm, later on that…"

Danny's eyes brightened at that title—shadow-of-the-flesh—but he said nothing.

Johnny continued, "Funny that they called him that even to the end, because much later, you know, he was actually able to partially take on their form because of the power of the amulet and because he had been with them so long and had even married one of the Spectre."

Shadow growled again and Johnny 13 frowned at him in slight irritation. "OK, buddy, I'm getting to that!" He turned back to the teens and said, "Anyhow, this human ghost took on a different name in the Spectre realm and became known as…"

"Ombre!" all three of the teens blurted out, not being able to contain themselves any longer.

"Yeah! How did you know?" Johnny 13 asked in awe, and his Shadow looked uncomfortable.

"How do you think we got a hold of you? We've all ready come a long way on this mystery trail and were able to get a little bit of information about Ombre. And we know something about the Spectre and even about the **scrolls **your Shadow destroyed," Danny said with a bit of irritation, glaring at Shadow.

Shadow glared back and Johnny 13 uttered, "Hey, it's cool, little man!"

"Yeah, OK. I'll let it go!" Danny said, calming himself. "Sorry."

Johnny 13 smiled weakly and then sighed, "Anyhow, I need to get back to that amulet. As I said, it was very powerful and, through the small jewels that only the Spectre had and wore, allowed the Spectre to talk to each other. Before that, they had, like, no common way to talk. Anyhow, the amulet was also used to calm the Spectre, who had a tendency to be aggressive, and of course, cause all sorts of trouble among themselves. But it had another stronger power over the Spectre. It sorta knocked the energy out of them and made them docile and controlled them. It helped them to see reason and kept their powers from hurting each other, too. Except if the one controlling the amulet wanted it them to be different. Then the rays—which, by the way, the Spectre called 'seals'— could be deadly. Which is why my friend got so badly hurt, and even almost got killed." He stopped again and looked at his Shadow at the thought.

Frowning a little when Shadow looked away, the biker ghost continued nevertheless, "But for any other creature that was unlucky enough to get hit by the Spectre rays, the effects of the rays—no matter how weak they were to other Spectre—were awesome and very powerful. They would really mess up those dudes not just physically, but also mess around with their minds. And, if the rays were only a little stronger should the Spectre leader want them to be, those rays could also be quite deadly to those who weren't Spectre. So, you see, the Spectre aren't really anything you want to mess with. They can easily cause some kind of bad scene if they wanted…But the really scary thing is that whoever possessed the amulet was able to control its powers, the effects of the Spectre rays, and in the end, of course, control the Spectre. And you can just guess what that would mean…"

He stopped again when he saw the trio nod and his Shadow look at him again. He sighed, but pressed on. "Now I need to get back to Ombre…I didn't tell you where he got the amulet. He had found it in his travels in the Real World. He was able to bring stability and order to the Spectre; but when he saw that the amulet totally controlled the Spectre, he didn't want that. He thought the amulet could be dangerous if whoever possessed it didn't want the best things for the Spectre. So, after he had made sure that he had established some Spectre laws and a common way of life for all the Spectre, he no longer used the amulet to fully control the Spectre. Instead, he just used it to talk with them and for them to, you know, speak with each other. And everything seemed very cool for awhile…"

Johnny 13 looked at Shadow again and after nodding to him again, continued, "But then, there was an uprising and some very uncool Spectre led by that other shadow-of-the-flesh, I mean, human ghost, I told you about—whose Spectre name was Varjo, by the way—tried to get the amulet. And, in fact, that human ghost betrayed Ombre after being treated so well by him."

Shadow suddenly growled in hatred and Tucker jumped. Danny and Sam looked to Tucker before turning back to Johnny 13, who was motioning with his hands for the Spectre to calm down. Finally, the shadow ghost dropped his shoulders and Johnny added, "That Varjo dude lead a group of Spectre against Ombre and finally succeeded in overthrowing him, but not before Ombre was able to break the amulet into four pieces—three small pieces and the larger one. When Ombre did that, it weakened the amulet because he took out its heart. But its power was enough that whoever got it—which was Varjo in the end—could have some—but not all—control over the Spectre; and it still allowed them to talk with each other."

"I think you can guess where those three pieces ended up," Johnny 13 said with a weak smile.

The trio nodded, and the biker ghost then said, "But if the three rings and the amulet were, like, together, and if the Spectre were to be under the control of their combined power, they would be a powerful army to be sure. With their one-of-a-kind powers, they would be unstoppable!"

He stopped and looked at the three young teens.

"Who got the rings?" Sam finally asked.

"Ombre wanted to make sure that the amulet's power would not be restored, so he entrusted the rings to himself, of course, and his two sons, Sombre, who was the oldest, and Spirto.

Shadow shuddered a little when he heard those names. But the teens didn't notice.

"And what happened to them?" Tucker asked.

"Ombre…he was poisoned and sent to the oblivion by a really weird disease called the Black Shadow Decay."

The three teens gasped at the news and the biker ghost and his shadow jumped. "How do you know about **that?**" he asked again in awe.

"Uhm, it's a very long story. But trust me. We know," Danny said.

Johnny 13 frowned at the Ghost Boy, uncertain whether he should press him for an answer. But then he shrugged and continued, "The two sons were captured and kept as prisoners by Varjo after their father was defeated. Somehow, they were able to smuggle out all the rings before that all happened. Not that Varjo was being kind to Ombre's sons by keeping them prisoner. He just hadn't decided what bad thing to do to them to get rid of them. But somehow, Spirto, though he was just a kid at the time, was able to break them out of prison before Varjo could carry out his plans."

Spirto wanted to go back to help the Spectre. Even in his young age, he was a spirited warrior—-uh, no pun intended! Spirto was always the more passionate one of the two brothers and he didn't want to abandon the Spectre. But Sombre did not want Spirto to return, insisting that they would have to wait for when the time was right. And Sombre would not risk taking any of the rings back with them."

Shadow growled in warning and Johnny 13 raised his hands up in surrender and uttered, "OK, OK, it's cool, buddy! I'm almost through, and, ya know…"

Shadow nodded and the three teens frowned in irritation as Johnny pressed on, "They were to meet up at the place where the rings were smuggled to and then decide what to do next. Sombre got there first and frantically waited for his brother. But Spirto took an awfully long time to come. Finally, Spirto did arrive, but just as he did, they were attacked by a gang of Spectre soldiers sent to hunt them down. The two brothers got separated and Sombre feared that the rings would fall into Varjo's hands after all. However, Sombre managed to retrieve and use his ring in the attack. Sombre found out later that a human in the Real World had gotten a hold of the rings through a, uhm, a mutual friend of his. But that human eventually died, too, and then we lost track of Ombre's and Spirto's rings until now."

Johnny paused and then continued. "Anyway, during that attack—which was very bad, by the way 'cause Varjo had made the soldier's black rays deadly—Sombre took the brunt of the fight to give his brother and the rings' keeper time to escape. But Sombre was sure his brother had, uhm, died in the fight because he saw him get hit by several powerful rays. He never heard anything about his brother again. Then Sombre escaped just moments from getting himself killed…And so….

"You found a very injured Sombre that day!" Danny concluded, finishing the biker ghost's sentence.

"And **your** Shadow's name is really Sombre!" Tucker piped in.

"And you don't call him that to keep his secret safe!" Sam added.

"Man, we certainly can't ever underestimate you three, can we?" Johnny 13 uttered, truly amazed how quickly they caught on, but not knowing that he had merely confirmed their suspicions.

Everyone there looked at each other in silence.

"So," Danny finally said, "Now that we all understand all this, is **now** the 'right' time to help the Spectre?"

Again there was silence.

Shadow growled and moved away from the group. "Uh," Johnny 13 muttered, and without saying another word, went right after him.

On a hunch, Danny whipped out the two rings and brought them together. This time he heard everything they said very loudly and very clearly…

Sombre said, "We do not know what is happening in the Spectre realm…And there is still the amulet to contend with. Plus, I am not sure if I can do it…And what about the scrolls?"

"Yeah, what about the scrolls?" Danny finally yelled to them.

Sombre and Johnny 13 jumped at the teen's response. They heard his voice both from a distance and through Johnny 13's ring. Sam and Tucker just looked on.

Danny half-smiled, and holding up both rings, replied, "Yeah, I heard you. And I've understood the language of the Spectre every since I got attacked by their current leader, a red-and-black Spectre. So, what else do these rings do?"

Johnny 13 and his Shadow looked at each other again, this time in hesitation.

"Look, guys," Danny finally sighed. "I know we haven't been exactly the best of pals, but what's happening here is more serious and bigger than all of us and our differences. So, will you spit it out, or are we going to have to keep playing _charades_ with all this 'silent exchange' stuff?"

Sombre and Johnny 13 looked at each other again and Johnny 13 said, "OK, kid. You're right. We'll come clean. Shadow—er, Sombre—lost the ability to understand the Spectre language or shoot those powerful black rays because he is no longer under the influence of the larger amulet. You may understand the Spectre language 'cause you got hit by the Spectre rays, but you don't understand Sombre because of that. You can understand him because of the rings. There was still some ability for him to speak because of the them, but only those who hold them, which, of course, was me, and is now, of course, you!"

"But the rings can also locate the others and the ones who have them. They can sense each other, but they could not locate each other alone. But there's another thing. Since _**I**_ was wearing this ring—and I am not a Spectre—the Spectre would not be able to track my friend or get to him through me, even if they could find me. They might think they made, like, some kind of mistake if they saw me with it, and we already had a story planned if they did. I would tell them that I found it somewhere and didn't know anything about Sombre….But then, heh-heh, I never thought that **you, **or any other non-Spectre for that matter, would be the one to find them, or guess what they were for! I mean, even though they are beautiful, they don't look too special…"

The biker ghost nervously cleared his voice and added, "Anyhow, do you see why you could understand Sombre and why you found us? And everything else?"

"Yeah, that explains a lot," Danny said, and his friends nodded in agreement with him.

"Now what do we do?" Johnny 13 asked, looking between Sombre and the teens.

"There's only one thing we can do," Danny casually began. "We look to the scrolls!"


	24. Chapter 24 Putting the Pieces Together

**A/N: Gee, that was even a better history lesson than the last one, don't ya think? Maybe that will get you a better history grade, hmm? NOT! And remember what's happened so far: Phasma has been pressured by the Spectre Elders to look for scrolls. Jiva is still conniving to get to Danny, and Danny and his friends have just found out all about Johnny 13's Shadow. Ready for more? Well, here ya go, and don't forget the IDNOAC thing. Here is Chapter 24…Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 24—Putting the Pieces Together

Meanwhile, in the Spectre realm, Phasma had summoned Spectro again, pulling his general away from the preparations he was making for their trip. But suddenly, Phasma regretted his decision. He just didn't know what to do! He knew he had to find the scrolls; however, he was still unsettled and clearly not thinking straight. He didn't want to look for them, or him, _that __Phantom-of-the-Flesh…_ He shuddered in distaste at even the thought of having to look for him or any other flesh-shadow. But then, he realized something else and became more upset. This was the first time the Prophesy was hesitant to tell his highcommander that the scrolls had been found. It was just too much for him to admit that a flesh-shadow, especially _that_ flesh-shadow, had gotten a hold of the scrolls. Besides, revealing too much of a bad omen to anyone might make things worse. And, he had no idea where to look for the Phantom-of-the-Flesh. Even Jiva couldn't help him in this matter.

The Prophesy paced in silent agitation, trying to decide on what to do. Then he was struck by an odd—and shocking—thought. What if that Phantom-of the-Flesh tried to decipher the scrolls? But then, another thought surfaced. But how could he? He didn't speak Spectre. And still another idea pressed on him. That flesh-shadow had been hit by one of his rays! Was it possible? He was not sure, but he had to find out. But still, he could not bring himself to fully confide in Spectro. He could not admit his weakness. So he would have to make it seem that they were looking for the scrolls alone.

Spectro, meanwhile, was certain something was bothering Phasma, especially since the Prophesy had not yet explained to him why he interrupted their preparations. But he knew well enough to remain silent, even if the Prophesy's odd behavior made him a little nervous. Actually, it was making him more than _a little_ nervous. Spectro was sure that if something wasn't said soon, the increasingly biting tension he felt coming from Phasma would certainly sink into his very being. But before it proved too much to handle, Phasma finally said, "We will have to look for the scrolls, Spectro! Remember that they would have to be somewhere between where we first encountered the Phantom-of-the-Flesh at that flesh-town called Shadesville and the first flesh-city that we went to... so, we will start from the beginning, which is at the flesh-town called End of Shadow."

"As you wish, my lord," Spectro said, but silently kept to himself about the Prophesy's last statement. Why was Phasma repeating himself? And the Prophesy's reference to that powerful young shadow-of-the-flesh was especially queer. Obviously, that young human ghost warrior was pressing heavily on the Prophesy's mind for him to keep referring to the human ghost by that title. Perhaps this was what was making Phasma so apprehensive.

"I will ensure the final preparations," Spectro said, leaving with a low bow to complete his tasks.

Phasma and Spectro's soldiers were soon at Shadow's End, and then at Ombre's pier. Getting strict orders from Phasma to look for anything made of paper, especially if it were brown, the Spectre soldiers searched the area where the spectral pier would normally be if it were the first three nights of a full moon, that is. But Phasma knew they wouldn't find them there.

Spectro also scanned the area as Phasma, observing everything, floated nearby. The Spectre general noticed evidence of a fairly recent struggle that had occurred—although, of course, there was no way for him to know that it had been between Danny, Sam, and Tucker, and the soldiers Jiva sent. He also saw the now much shallower but still recognizable "X" dug into the ground near where the spectral pier would have been. He knew that no one under his charge had made that "X" when they were first following the riddle's instructions quite a bit a while ago. He looked to Phasma, and was sure by the Prophecy's face that he noticed that something out-of-the-ordinary had happened here. But Spectro frowned in confusion. Why didn't Phasma say anything? What was the reason for the Prophecy's odd silence? But the Spectre commander decided it best to keep his thoughts to himself about that; but at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder. He suspected from the evidence at the pier that someone must have found the scrolls. But how were they able to read them? Another Spectre must have gotten a hold of them! But who? And if a Spectre had them, why were they trying to solve the mystery?

Finally, after about an hour of searching by his little army, Phasma, though even more upset that maybe the scrolls had been deciphered, decided that it was time to resume their search elsewhere.

But before Phasma gave the command to leave, Spectro cautiously asked, "Do you think the scrolls were taken by the wind or the river, my lord?"

"You know that they would not be affected by most of the flesh-elements, Spectro! They would have stayed where they would have fallen. No! They must not be here. We shall search the east bank of the river!"

The Spectre floated as one mass over to the large mound of earth that was impregnated with caves. Again, Phasma ordered the soldiers to search for anything that looked like brown paper.

While Spectro and the soldiers scoured the area, Phasma drifted over to where the second scroll had been hidden. Before he touched the latch, however, he noticed that the door had not been properly closed. _"What is this?"_ he thought as he activated the latch and the door popped completely open. He reached in and found the little ornate chest that had held the second scroll. _"Maybe I just forgot to close the door, or maybe that creature has all ready solved the riddle!" _

This time, his fear overrode his hesitation. "Spectro!" he commanded.

"My lord?" his commander replied with a low bow.

"We must hurry to the other flesh-town! They have been here!"

"They?" Spectro asked, truly bewildered.

"Whoever has the scrolls!" Phasma said with great agitation.

Spectro didn't want to question him further, but quickly uttered, "As you wish, my lord!'

And he hurried to call the other Spectre soldiers and make plans to move out to Shadesville.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And speaking of the scrolls, little man, just how did **you **get them?" Johnny 13 asked Danny.

"Like I told you, a few weeks ago me and my friends were at a city called Shadesville. My ghost sense went off and it led me to the Spectre. I tried to find out about them, but then they attacked me. During that attack, their leader, who was called Phasma, by the way…." The biker ghost and his shadow startled when they heard that name, but even though Danny noticed that, he didn't say anything right away and did not hesitate as he continued, "…dropped the scrolls and I retrieved them. Not only could I hear and understand their language after I got zapped by that Phasma's red-and-black beams, but I also could read their language. So, together, Sam, Tucker and I deciphered them and, well, here we are, just about to find out everything."

Johnny 13 and Sombre gave each other surprised glances. "You could read them? No human ghost has ever been able to decipher the Spectre language before!" Johnny 13 blurted out.

"Um…Yeah," Danny slowly answered him, momentarily surprised by Johnny's revelation. "I can't explain it, but like you said, I think I got some of the Spectre's abilities because I got hit with Phasma's rays."

Johnny 13 and Sombre squirmed uneasily at the mention of the Spectre leader's name again.

Everyone was silent again, and Danny finally said, "So how do **you** know Phasma?"

Johnny 13 and Sombre jumped again at that name.

Danny scrunched up his face with an "I-know-you-know" kind of expression. "Well?" he pressed.

Sighing, Johnny said, "He is the son of Varjo, the ghost who opposed and defeated Ombre. He is only in power because of the amulet. He is a very weak Prophesy of the Spectre…"

"Whoa! Lost you there! What is a 'Prophesy of the Spectre'?" Danny asked, and Sam and Tucker glad he asked, because they, too, were lost.

"Oh, right, dude. The Spectre call their leaders "prophesies" and the current leader is called the "Prophesy of the Spectre". Got it?"

"Yeah, got it. Thanks. Go on," the teen replied.

"Anyhow, most say his daughter and the Elders really rule. But Phasma can be ruthless, which is why he has stayed in power."

"How do you know all this, because you never mentioned Phasma before?" Danny asked.

This time, surprising the teens, Sombre answered him. But something was wrong with Sam's Fenton phones and she didn't realize that she was only hearing bits and pieces because of the normal delay of the female's voice when it did its interpreting thing.

"Phasma was really quite a bit older than me, as I am to Spirto, but Phasma was not in power at the time of my father's defeat. We had many Spectre still loyal to Ombre after Varjo came into power, and there was even an attempt by the rebels to regain control by using, of all things, another book!"

Danny was struck by that remark and looked at Sam. He shrugged when she didn't react. He listened as Sombre continued. "And all these words of the rise of the power of Phasma were given to me through many channels, channels that the Spectre would not look for. But those channels were lost many years ago, so my friend and I were not certain if Phasma was still Prophesy."

"Yeah, and his daughter is still causing trouble," Tucker suddenly said.

"Yes, I do not doubt that," the shadow ghost said. "She also has the power of the channel."

Sam, meanwhile, was busy in thought, trying to figure how all this fit into the mystery and what they already knew. But when she heard the word, 'channel', again, she blurted out her sudden wild hunch, "You were in touch with Graciella Holton! She was a medium and she was the one who helped you hide the rings!"

"Man, we haven't given you three enough credit!" Johnny 13 said in awe again.

"Yes, and so did my mother," Sombre volunteered again, finally giving them more information about his family. "She was the one who smuggled them out and met up with Spirto and I later just before we were attacked by the soldiers of Varjo."

"She had escaped, and headed to the Flesh World. She, too, had thought my brother had perished, because we both never heard from him again. But in the meantime, she had fled to the Flesh World. Ombre had told her all about his life in the Flesh World and she searched and searched until she had found Graciella. The rings allowed Graciella to speak to and keep in touch with my mother. Together they guarded the rings and found out about what was happening with the Spectre. And they used the rings to tell me. But then, my mother was discovered and she had to flee into the far reaches of the Flesh World. To where, I do not know. I never heard from her again, either."

He paused and bowed his head in grief. But then he said, "But Graciella kept the rings and then she passed on. From then on, we never knew about the rings again… until now. My ring had not been strong enough by itself to locate them."

Everyone fell in silence again, trying to piece everything together.

"Now, about those scrolls…." Johnny 13 brought up the subject again, and everyone looked to Danny.

They might have pieced together most of this puzzle, but the hardest part still remained: To do something with it.


	25. Chapter 25 Getting There

**A/N: So far: Sombre and Johnny 13 finally spilled out things they know about the Spectre. Phasma and Spectro are headed toward Shadesville. Phasma has discovered that someone (who we all know that 'someone' is really Danny, Sam and Tucker) has not only found the scrolls, but is trying to use them. And what is Jiva up to? Oh, yeah, trying to reach Danny, still! Hope you're enjoying this wild story! IDNOAC and here is Chapter 25. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 25—Getting There

Jiva paced back and forth in her room. She had been unsuccessful in securing a strong channel to Danny. This would not do!

As she glided past the large mirror again, she stopped and pouted at herself. Her current method had failed and she wondered why. Then she smiled in triumph, certain this time she had figured it out. She would have to use some other way.

She struck the gong and a servant immediately rushed in and bowed very low.

"Summon Bhuto!" she spat out.

The servant bowed again and hurriedly left.

Bhuto was there in no time and after he knocked and entered, bowed low in front of her.

"Somehow, you failed in injuring him, Bhuto! It was not enough. I will have to send you to the flesh-plane again. You must capture him this time!"

"Him?" Bhuto asked, genuinely bewildered.

"You imbecile! The Phantom-of-the-flesh! Must I spell out everything to you?"

"A-a thousand apologies, Highness! I-I should have listened more carefully," he stammered submissively.

She smiled wickedly. "I grant you leave. Just do not fail me this time." She pulled out more of the red strands from her hair and gave them to him. "Wrap these around your amulet as before. But only use what you will need to subdue him. Now, go, take my army to the flesh-plane to the same area as before, and wait for my signal."

"Yes, Princess," he replied, keeping his head low as he bowed. He turned slightly and left in a hurry to get his band of soldiers and head toward the Real World.

"Well, before we get to the scrolls, how did Phasma get them in the first place?" Danny countered.

"Don't know for sure. There are only rumors," Johnny 13 said.

"And why are they so important?" Tucker finally blurted out.

The ghost biker answered him, "Because they hold the secret of the "Prophecy's Omen"."

"What's that?" Sam blurted out, furrowing her brow again, trying to piece this bit of information with everything else.

"The legend goes like this: There was this Whizard Spectre dude that existed way before any of us, who had this crazy vision or something like that. He said that one day a great leader would come to rule the Spectre. Oh, and I should tell you that Spectre Whizards were totally different than human wizards. And the Spectre even spelled the word differently. They added an 'h' right after the 'w'."

The three teens blinked at him, wondering why he mentioned that.

The ghost biker noticed the confusion in their faces and smiling weakly in embarrassment, said, "Hum, well, you know. Just thought you'd like that little piece of information. But anyways, the Whizard dude was so afraid of the prophecy that he hid it away."

"Why didn't he destroy it?" Tucker asked.

"And why was he afraid of it?" Danny mused.

Johnny continued, "Well, something about it was upsetting him. You see, that Whizard was very superstitious and he felt that if he destroyed it, it would come true. But he felt that if he hid it in a very complicated maze, no one would know the truth."

"Sounds kinda backwards to me!" Tucker commented.

The biker smiled and said, "Well, looks like the Spectre kind of superstition is, like, totally different than human ones! Anyhow, Ombre thought their hiding place was lost when the Whizard dude checked out. But we all know now that they weren't."

"Does anyone know what the prophecy says?" Tucker prodded further.

"Prophecy's Omen!" Johnny 13 corrected him. "No! But it was rumored that this future leader would have a human ancestry, you know, be a shadow-of-the-flesh, and would have a name that had a "p-h-a" or something like that in it somewhere. Maybe the Whizard dude was upset that a flesh-shadow, and not a Spectre, would rule? Don't know for certain, of course."

Sombre squirmed when he heard that.

Sam and Tucker immediately looked at Danny and Danny knew by their look what they were thinking.

"No way!" he said, holding his hand up in objection and shaking his head.

Sombre's eyes widened at the thought and then narrowed. He grumbled, "I will not accept it either! You are no Spectre!"

"Very glad of that, too!" Danny shot back.

"But then, how come **he** got the scrolls?" Johnny 13 asked, speaking to his shadow and pointing to Danny at the same time.

Sombre replied, "It does not matter! He cannot be the Prophesy of the Spectre!"

"Look, Shadow, uhm, Sombre," Danny said in slight irritation. "I'm not in this to be any Prophesy or whatever it's called. I want to solve this mystery because I think Phasma is up to no good and will stop at nothing to learn the truth about the scrolls. And I think he wouldn't stop at hurting humans—and even the Spectre—if he thought that would be a way to get to them. So, don't get your shadow pants all up in a knot, uhm, if you have any, that is!"

Sombre glared at the boy but Johnny 13 touched him on his shoulder, trying to calm him. "OK, we're game, little man. And we've been square with you. So, what have you found out about the scrolls so far?"

Danny, Sam and Tucker proceeded to fill them in all about the two scrolls and how they figured out the message of the first one. Then they told them about the second scroll and that they were now close to figuring out the first part of it.

The biker ghost and his shadow listened in awe as the three teens relived their findings. Finally the biker and his shadow looked at each other and Johnny 13 said in amazement, "We **definitely** won't ever underestimate you three again!"

The three teens smiled weakly at his compliment and then Danny asked, "Which brings us to the three rings. Do you think they have something to do with this riddle?"

"Well, they're crystals you know, maybe they're the crystals you're supposed to hit? After all, the riddle says 'strike the crystal ball'," Sam interjected.

"I don't know," Johnny 13 said, his brow furrowed in thought. "Who knows if the Whizard had seen the three rings? They didn't exist when he did."

"And the riddle says the "crystal ball", not "crystals", Tucker also pointed out. "Here, let me read it again:

"In the city of happy fall  
In the center of the rings  
Strike the crystal ball  
Look to where it sings."

"But it also says, 'rings'. And each crystal is round like a ball. Maybe the crystal ball is for each ring!" Sam countered.

Everyone looked at each other, puzzled.

"No objections?" Danny finally asked. "OK, then, would it hurt to see if Sam's idea is right?"

Everyone shook his head, indicating that they agreed to try out her idea.

Danny gave one of the rings to Sam. He then held the other one up, Sam held up hers, and then Johnny 13 took off and held up his. They then struck the middle of each of the crystals with the other, as if they were clinking glasses together during a toast, and then pulled them back slightly.

Nothing happened.

"Uh, maybe it doesn't work because I'm holding it?" Sam squeamishly suggested.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, looking at her.

"Maybe it needs a ghost to hold onto it. After all, they did belong to ghosts!"

"All right. Worth a try, don't you think?" Danny asked the others.

Everyone shrugged and Sam gave the ring to Sombre, who hesitated at first, but then took it. Then, Danny, Johnny 13 and Sombre all hit the rings together like before.

Suddenly, all three rings began to vibrate and glow brightly, and this time, also emitting a high-pitch tone. Then, just as sudden, they pulled themselves out of the hands of each of the three ghosts holding them and, hovering in the air, came close to each other under their own power.

"It's working!" Sam excitedly said.

"And they're **singing**!" Danny couldn't help but yell.

And as soon as he said that, an image appeared in the middle of the three rings suspended in space. First, there was a picture of a green valley, but no one recognized it. Then, the view pulled away and revealed a large brown mountain.

Danny recognized that. "Hey, that must be Melancholy Mountain in Shadesville! I saw a picture of it in the city's atlas!"

"But what about that valley? We didn't see anything green around there when we first came to Shadesville," Tucker objected.

"It's late fall, so the valley wouldn't be green now!" Sam replied.

"Oh. I knew that," Tucker squeamishly added.

Danny scrunched his face in thought. "'By the green valley…With the brown mount'… The green valley, the brown mount. That must be it, guys! You know, like what the second part of this riddle says!" Danny excitedly said. He looked to his friends and smiles slowly crept on their faces. He then looked to Johnny 13 and Sombre, who were still in awe looking at the floating images. When they didn't return his glance, the three teens turned back to the ghostly pictures.

The three ghosts and two humans watched a little longer as the same two images flashed back and forth, like changing traffic lights. Then the high-pitch sound and light slowly dwindled, and the images disappeared. After that, the rings became mute, dulled, and fell toward the waiting hands of the three ghosts that were under them. Sombre quickly surrendered his ring to Danny, and Danny took the two rings back and put one of them in his pocket. He kept the other, keeping it within his palm again so that he would be able to understand Sombre.

But Johnny did not place his back on right away, too nervous about the encounter.

Now the riddle was finally making sense and the trio was eager to solve it.

But Johnny 13 and Sombre secretly shook in fear.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jiva continued to pace back and forth in her room, now regretting her decision to send the soldiers on their own.

"I should have gone with them!" she huffed. "Bhuto may be strong, but he is not clever!"

She stopped, closed her eyes and concentrated. She smiled when she felt the positive energy. "Still, there is a chance…Aha! What is that? Is that a mountain I see? But I do not want that!" She stopped again. "No, _he_ wants to go there! Oh, and is that the name of it? Good! That is where I will find him!"

He nodded in his mind, _"Highness?"_

"_Go to the Melancholy Mountain in the flesh town of Shadesville. That is where you will find the Phantom-of-the-flesh that I seek. Do what you must to capture him, but do not kill him. I do not care what happens to the flesh-creatures with him. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, Highness, I understand,"_ Bhuto answered in his mind.

"_And he has something of vital importance. A brown scroll. See to it that you also have that when you have him!"_

"_Yes, princess,"_ Bhuto again said in his mind.

"_Good! I will meet you there as soon as I can!"_ she said, as she cut off the channel and smiled. She shuddered in excitement, feeling that this time that Danny would finally be hers.

And just as Bhuto's mind was released, he shuddered in fear.


	26. Chapter 26 Converging Plans

**A/N: My, we are getting complicated here, aren't we? Muhahhah! But I'm glad you're sticking with me! Remember so far, Phasma and Spectro have just left Shadow's End, Jiva has sent Bhuto after Danny, again, and Danny and company solved the part of the riddle about the rings and now want to get to the brown mountain, Mt. Melancholy. And so onto the IDNOAC thing and, of course, Chapter 26! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 26—Converging Plans

"OK, then, we need to get going!" Danny finally said, excited about this new bit of information. The three friends started to leave; but then Danny stopped abruptly and turned around when he noticed that Johnny 13 and Somber weren't following them.

"Well, aren't you two coming?" Danny asked them. Sam and Tucker then also stopped and turned to look at the two ghosts.

"No, dude, we're not!" Johnny 13 said.

"Why not?" Tucker asked.

"Because, we just can't," the biker ghost answered, casting his eyes downward. They didn't have the guts to admit why.

"But this is going to affect your, uhm, kind," Sam objected, speaking to Sombre.

Sombre looked down and sadly said, "I do not have it in me anymore. The Spectre are lost!"

"No, they're not!" Danny insisted, flying right up to them. And scrunching his face with sudden indignation, he continued, "You two know how evil Phasma and his daughter are; and after all that stuff you told us, you can just sit there and do nothing?"

Sombre and Johnny 13 looked at each other, and then looked down again and said nothing.

All three of the teens now frowned in both frustration and irritation.

"Then you both deserve all the butt-kicking I've given you!" Danny spat. "We're going to get to the bottom of this mystery, and for the sake of the Spectre, we're going to find out who the **real** Prophesy of the Spectre is! I have a feeling it's certainly not Phasma!"

Sombre and Johnny 13 still didn't look up or move.

Danny, Sam and Tucker turned abruptly around and stomped away, very disappointed and angry with the two ghosts they left behind...

"Maybe **he is** the Prophesy of the Spectre after all!" Sombre muttered to himself just as the teens flew off. And before Johnny 13 could say or do anything to keep the shadow ghost from leaving, Sombre quickly left the lair, feeling very sorry for himself, and underneath, very disgusted with himself as well.

Danny quickly tore a hole in the dimension where they had entered the Ghost Zone the first time near Skulker's Island. He grabbed each of his friends by the waist again and all three teens jumped into the Real World. They quickly saw that they were in Shadesville again.

As they raced waist-to-waist to where they had left the rocket boosters, Danny, his voice still ringing with scorn, said, "Those two losers won't have to worry about their 'secret' lair. I don't ever plan to go back there; and if I ever see them again, it'll be too soon!"

"Yeah, I can't believe that they didn't care about the Spectre!" Tucker angrily commented.

"I think they cared. I just think they have been in fear and hiding so long that they just don't know what to do!" Sam softly replied.

"You would let them off the hook, wouldn't you?" Danny weakly smirked, calming down with her comment. He suddenly knew she was right.

"No, I'm not! I just understand the 'fear and hiding' thing!" she said as she gave Danny an extra squeeze with her hint.

Tucker silently smiled, totally understanding her drift as well. After all they had been through since the beginning of this adventure, the three friends were definitely getting even more at ease with each other.

Danny squeezed back and they all remained silent until they reached the boosters.

"OK, this is it, guys. We'll just have to forget about those two losers. And we've almost solved this mystery!" Danny said with determination as his friends strapped on their boosters.

And they quickly headed toward Melancholy Mountain….

But unbeknownst to the trio, Jiva's little band of Spectre soldiers led by Bhuto was also making its way to Shadesville; and Phasma and Spectro's group were all ready just outside the city. But Phasma and Spectro were having trouble knowing where to go once they arrived….

"I wish I could remember the whole riddle," Phasma hissed to Spectro as they scanned the town in the near distance. "I do not know anything about this part. We had just started to explore the possibilities when we were attacked by that Phantom-of-the-Flesh that while ago! At least we know the scrolls would eventually have to be taken here!" He concentrated again, trying to remember any part of the scroll's clues. He then jolted with a pressing thought and exclaimed, "The rings! The riddle said something about 'rings'! Varjo had told me that Ombre had taken the broken pieces from the amulet and made them into rings! And I think there were three!"

"But, my lord, we do not know if such rings still exist; and if they do, we do not know where they are," Spectro said.

"That is true. And Varjo had said that they had been lost. But we cannot have come this far without the possibility that they still exist. I believe that the scrolls could not have told of them if they were destroyed. We can have our soldiers overshadow the flesh-creatures here and find out if anyone knows of them!"

"As you wish, Highness," Spectro said, trying to hide his worry. He knew that Phasma would not stop until he had found the rings or something of importance in this matter….

Just as Danny, Sam and Tucker made it to the bottom of Melancholy Mountain, Sam begged the question, "Now what?"

They all knew as they scanned the mountain that they had no idea what they were looking for.

"Well, of course we don't know what!" Tucker said, frowning in frustration and then checking his PDA again. "But the next part of the riddle does say: 'Look to the blue sea…and the first black count.'"

The three looked at each other in silence, wracking their brains for any idea.

"But there is no sea here!" Sam finally yelled, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Well, maybe we need to take a break!" Danny suggested. "We haven't stopped for hours and I'm sure I'm not half as starved as Tucker is!"

Tucker grinned widely at the suggestion.

"You're right!" Sam agreed, half-smiling. "I'm a little hungry, too! I'm sure we'll figure it all out once we get some brain food!"

They all chuckled, relaxing a little at their decision.

They turned back to the city, not knowing that they were headed to a city all ready overshadowed by the Spectre from Phasma's command, and about to be invaded by Jiva's little army.


	27. Chapter 27 More Attacks

**A/N: HAPPY EASTER, everyone! Hope you are still on track! I know it's complicated, but it sure is fun! Remember that Johnny 13 and Sombre didn't go with our three teens. Danny, Sam and Tucker are now headed the town of Shadesville to eat, unaware that the town is already overshadowed by the Spectre with Phasma and about to be invaded by Jiva's little army led by Bhuto. Now, tsk, tsk, IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 27. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 27—More Attacks

The trio landed just outside the main part of the town and hid the boosters again. Then they walked into town, not knowing at first that all eyes were on them as they came up the main street.

Suddenly, Danny's ghost sense went wild, alerting him of the problem. He searched all around but saw no ghosts. "Uh, guys, something's **very** not right!" he uttered under his breath as he ghost sense was triggered again. Then just as sudden, a mob of overshadowed humans converged on them. Now the blue mist eking from Danny's mouth was unstoppable.

Trying not to panic, he stammered as the crowd closed in, "Uh, uh, h-hello! We're new here in town and hoped that you would tell us where the nearest restaurant is?"

But one large man in particular, his eyes flashing red, growled in response, "What are you doing here? We are looking for the rings! Why are you not?"

And the threatening crowd pressed further into the teens. The frightened trio backed up, trying to look for a means of escape, but the other overshadowed humans closed the gap. Before they knew it, the three friends were pressed back-to-back, in a tight little circle, each of them facing outward toward the now angry mob.

"Listen! They are not one of us!" one of the other men jeered. "Get them!"

"No way, dude!" Danny finally growled back as he changed into Phantom. And at that moment, Libro burst out of Sam's backpack.

"It is the shadow-of-the-flesh!" another man screamed, just before Danny zapped him with a white energy beam from his Blazers. The man screamed and fell senseless as the Spectre was expelled from him. However, the Spectre was left only momentarily dazed outside of his former host.

"OK, guys!" Danny commanded his friends, "You know what to do!"

And Sam and Tucker instantly began their own light energy attack.

Danny hit two more overshadowed men with his Blazers and those humans again screamed and fell unconscious just as the shadow ghosts were once again dispelled. But the Spectre were only momentarily stunned and still next to the humans they had overshadowed. The shadow ghosts quickly recovered and instantly prepared to shoot back. Just as they were about to blast the ghost boy with their black beams, Danny successfully zapped them with the Blazers once more, sending them back to the Ghost Zone.

"Time to play with these things!" he gulped at the narrow escape. He pushed another button and then shot at the next group of overshadow humans that were nearly on top of him, and this time the light emitted from the Blazers was whitish-green. Those humans hit by that light were instantly knocked out cold; and the Spectre screamed as they were jolted from their senseless hosts, and were just as instantly thrust back into the Ghost Zone.

"Yes!" Danny yelled and continued with this same assault tactic with the other overshadowed people closing in with angry eyes. He successfully shot each one with one blow; keeping both the humans safe—but left unconscious— and forcing the completely incapacitated Spectre to phase back into the Ghost Zone at the exact same time.

Still keeping their circle tight, Sam used Libro to fight the overshadowed humans. His light was immediately effective and he sent each senseless Spectre directly to the Ghost Zone in one blow, while sparing the stunned human that it had overshadowed from permanent harm.

Tucker was also having some success driving the Spectre out of the overshadowed humans, but had to zap them two more times before the Spectre was thrust back into the Ghost Zone. But some of those Spectre instantly recovered from Tucker's blow and turned to attack again.

"Guys, help!" Tucker yelled just as he was about to be zapped by a black beam. Libro immediately dispelled the ray and shot that attacking Spectre and then turned back to hit the next overshadowed human near Sam.

"Thanks, Libro," Tucker sighed and then screamed at the next assault as he frantically continued to punch different light intensities.

Then Danny yelled between the next blows, "Tucker, change the parameters to the green spectrum around 535 nanometers!"

"OK, man," Tucker yelled back and when he set the parameters, he successfully got rid of the Spectre at the first shot. "Yes!" he exclaimed as he fought on.

Meanwhile, Phasma and Spectro, having heard the commotion, came upon the scene and could not believe it when they saw the three young creatures that were making effective headway against their soldiers.

Then Phasma spied Danny and angrily hissed, "There is that Phantom-of-the-Flesh! I cannot believe that he is here! He must have been able to read the scrolls after all. But he is too clever for his own good. He is becoming more and more of a hindrance to us! It is time that I knocked the fight out of him once and for all!"

Spectro hesitated on what to do but before he could react, Phasma sent a large black-and-red beam at Danny.

But before the beam could strike, Libro suddenly shot up out of Sam's hands. Sam watched Libro as he aimed his beam right at the black-and-red one, refracting it back at Phasma. Phasma had not seen what hit his ray, but Spectro did and gasped. And in the next moment, the force of Phasma's own energy beam, intermixed with Libro's own ray, thrust the Prophesy of the Spectre violently back into the Ghost Zone.

Sam, of course, was momentarily defenseless and just then, one of the overshadowed men grabbed her. She instantly resisted him and yelled, "Let go of me! Arrghh!"

Danny immediately jolted around when he heard Sam's scream, and with the greenish-light of one of his Blazers, shot the human who had attacked his girl. The human fell in a daze just as the Spectre phased shrieking back into the Ghost Zone.

By the time Danny was done, Libro had returned and, once again, threw himself into the midst of the battle between Sam and the overshadowed humans.

But before the teens could continue in their attack, all the other Spectre suddenly pulled themselves from their human hosts, who, in turn, fell in a stupor. Now that their leader and amulet were gone, the Spectre were left dazed in confusion. And when they saw Danny aiming with his Blazers, Tucker with his PDA, and Sam with Libro, they all screamed in fright and soared away.

But Spectro looked briefly at the three young creatures just before he, too, soared away.

Seeing that they were now alone except for the incapacitated humans, Danny uttered with a half-smile, "Well, that was easy!"

"Easy?" Tucker gasped, looking at his friend in disbelief.

"Yeah, I expected more of a fight!" Danny smirked, lowering his arms to his side.

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't any 'easier'," Sam sighed in relief, still holding Libro. "And at least we know which light is their weakness."

"Greenish-white light, specifically at 535 nanometers!" Tucker said smugly, holding up his PDA in emphasis.

She rolled her eyes.

But suddenly, Danny's ghost sense was triggered again.

And just as sudden, Libro sprung from the girl's hands again and shot a greenish-white beam inside the building they were in front of. A Spectre shrieked in response.

Jiva's little army had finally arrived.

"You would have to say it was too easy, wouldn't you, dude?" Tucker chided Danny just as a black beam was sent charging toward the bespectacled boy. Danny instantly threw an ice shield in front of his friend while shooting back with his Blazer. The ice shield disintegrated on impact, spraying Tucker with ice shards, but it nevertheless protected him from harm. The greenish-white beam from Danny's weapon thrust the now incapacitated Spectre back to the Ghost Zone.

All three teens immediately reformed their tight circle and enacted the same strategy in fighting this group of shadow ghosts. Again, the teens were effective in repelling this assault; and just in the midst of the battle, Jiva finally arrived. Seeing that her band of Spectre was being soundly defeated, she growled in anger and impatiently waited for her chance to act. But she grunted in frustration when it looked as if her chance was slim at best.

Finally, an opening small enough for a small red-and-black beam revealed itself to her and she immediately took advantage of it. The small ray penetrated Danny on the same spot on his left arm that Phasma had first hit him and the teen immediately felt empty and dazed. His arms inadvertently fell to his sides and he was momentarily defenseless.

A nearby Spectre, who had already shot his lone black seal and missed the group of fighting teens, immediately engulfed Danny and soared upward with his prisoner. Sam and Tucker gasped but kept shooting the other attacking Spectre. Jiva smiled, knowing that she finally got her prize.

Though his mind was foggy from Jiva's attack, Danny reflexively struggled against the blackness and fought to reach the buttons of the Blazer on his left wrist. He successfully found it and the force of the greenish-white light burst outward, ripping the Spectre into several pieces as it shrieked out of the Real World. But what Danny didn't know was that during his struggle within this Spectre, the second scroll had been pushed out of his pocket and had attached itself to the screaming Spectre when the shadow ghost was dispelled. But the rings, which were heavier and deeper in his pockets, remained safe.

Back in the Ghost Zone, the dazed and re-formed Spectre looked in confusion as he opened his closed hand and saw the odd, brown, bound parchment paper somehow within it.

Danny instinctually held his dizzy head after his escape. He was momentarily lost on what he should do. But then he vaguely remembered the fight when he heard the commotion below him. As he neared his friends in an unbalanced flight, however, Danny's mind jolted to some clarity when the next Spectre, shooting a black seal as he approached, charged at the boy. Instantly materializing an ice shield, which shattered with the brunt of the black ray, Danny followed up with ice beams from his eyes. His aim was not as precise as it normally would have been, but, fortunately, the Spectre was near enough to the boy that the ice beams effectively and instantly froze the shadow ghost. Danny then quickly flew down and re-formed the circle with his friends, not hesitating to fire during the entire time.

Jiva growled with a scowl when she saw that Danny had escaped. But she sent more of her Spectre soldiers toward the trio.

On they fought, but slowly the number of Spectre dwindled.

Finally, as Jiva looked on from under cover, she grunted slightly when she saw that her entire army was vanquished, leaving only Bhuto and her. But even though they were now the only Spectre there, she was no longer angry. She was smiling. She had gotten what she came for. She was certain that her blow was enough to make him just as susceptible as she had wanted without any more need for force. She was about to return to the Spectre realm when, at that moment, she spied the Book.

"_There it is! That __**must**__ be it!"_ she said to herself in excitement. "The Phantom will come to me later, but I must have that book now! With the amulet, the book and the Phantom-of-the-flesh, I will be invincible! She concentrated intensely and cooed, _"Now, my dear, ignore me while I get that book!"_

Then she commanded, "Bhuto! I need a distraction!"

He immediately obeyed and charged at the teens.

The shadow ghost headed straight at Tucker, but the boy responded immediately, pointing at the Spectre with his PDA just as the ghost upon him. Bhuto screeched in pain and was thrust back into the Ghost Zone as the intense light beam hit him. Tucker sighed; and all three teens relaxed against the others' backs at the defeat of this apparently last Spectre.

But that diversion was just what Jiva needed. She concentrated; and then seeping into the shadows, she glided to the exhausted teens and the book. She concentrated even harder as she neared. She knew that because she had to focus on distracting Danny, she would only be able to be invisible for a very short while.

Danny's ghost sense was triggered just as she approached, but he didn't notice. However, Sam did see his icy breath and before she could object, Libro was suddenly being jerked away from her. She reflexively pulled Libro back against the unseen force, gasping at the now apparent dull red aura that had suddenly begun to form around Libro. As she struggled, she yelled with heavy breath, "Danny, something's trying to take Libro!

"Huh?" Danny uttered, snapping out of his stupor. He immediately zapped the air right in front of Libro with his Blazers and Jiva shrieked as she phased back to the Ghost Zone. But he staggered a little, feeling suddenly very dizzy.

Sam fell to the ground with Libro and Tucker immediately went to help her up.

"Are you all right?" Tucker fretfully asked.

"Yeah, but Danny doesn't look so hot," she replied. "Let's get out of here before all these people here wonder how they got in the middle of the street!"

"Good idea!" Tucker agreed and they each grabbed one of Danny's arms and led him to an alley that seemed to be far enough away that they would not be seen or heard by the recovering townspeople.

Meanwhile, the very dazed Spectre princess found herself floating in the Ghost Zone. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it and raising a defiant fist, she yelled to the surrounding space with hatred in her voice, "I will get you for that, flesh-girl!"


	28. Chapter 28 Close Call

**A/N: So how's the action so far? Well, it only gets better. Hold onto your seats! Remember that our trio has just defeated Phasma and Jiva's little armies. Now here is Chapter 28. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 28—Close Call

"What happened?" Danny slowly muttered, holding his foggy head. "Why didn't my ghost sense go off?"

"It did, but somehow you didn't notice!" Sam worriedly replied. "But whoever that was didn't get Libro, thanks to you. Maybe you got hit by another Spectre ray?"

Danny tried to focus and then he remembered. "Yes, I think I did right after I got swallowed by that other Spectre. But it was small…" He paused, confused as to why he knew who had shot him. He inspected his left arm and finally saw the small wound. It had black-and-red ooze mixed with green ectoplasm still dripping from it. Sam saw it too, but then he continued, "…But it didn't seem to sting as badly as the others."

"Then shouldn't we try to treat it?" she asked, looking at the wound again.

"No, uh, I think I'll be all right. I think. The daze is going away now, uh, I think," he tried to assure her. But then he jolted slightly at his next thought. "But why did it…uhm—I think it was a she!—want Libro?"

"She?" Sam echoed in disbelief. "The only 'she' Spectre we've heard about is Phasma's daughter. Do you think it was her?"

"Uh, I'm not sure, but…yes…yes, it was! And, uhm, her name is…is…Jiva!" Danny blurted out. He knew— but didn't understand why he knew— the Prophesy of the Spectre's daughter's name.

"Jiva?" Tucker uttered. "How do you know that?"

"I don't **know!** I just **do**!" Danny growled with sudden irritation, reflexively bringing his hand to his forehead.

Sam looked at him, frowning in concerned at his sudden change.

"Whoa! Chill, dude," Tucker said, raising his hands up in surrender.

"Uh, sorry, Tuck," Danny said apologetically, resting one his hands on his friend's shoulder and bringing the other to his forehead again. "Maybe that ray affected me a little after all." But he rechecked his arm and it was fully healed. Pointing to it, he added, "See! I'll be all right!"

But Sam was not satisfied. She didn't like that his eyes weren't focusing like they should just like in the past attacks and gently asked, "Are you sure you're all right, Danny?"

"Quit fussing over me!" he suddenly snapped, thrusting his fisted hands to his sides. "Uh, uh." He paused and shook his head, trying to clear his mind. But then he didn't know why but he felt angry and confused again and uttered, "Just because you're my girlfriend doesn't mean you have to suffocate me!...I mean, uh, I don't know, uhm, why did...?" But he didn't finish and feeling a little light-headed, reflexively put his hand to his head again.

Sam and Tucker stood stunned at his reaction. They both knew this was not right.

But then, Sam frowned in irritation. "Darn it, Danny! You are really starting to annoy me!" she finally spat back, but not as forcefully as she would have normally done with that kind of remark. This was not like Danny and his reactions had to be from the effects of the Spectre princess' rays.

She planted herself right in front of him and thrusting her hands on her hips, firmly said, "Whether you like to hear it or not, I can tell that you're still not right after being zapped by that 'Jiva' thing! You know how confused you get when you get hit with a Spectre ray! And even if the ray that 'Jiva' thing shot you with was small, it still has affected you! And what if the ray was black-and-red like Phasma's? That means it's more powerful than the larger black ones! So, think, Danny, and stop acting like a stupid dweeb again!" She crossed her arms defiantly at her last comment and glared at him.

Tucker looked on nervously, expecting the worse. He knew how unpredictable Danny's behavior was each time he had been attacked by the Spectre.

But Sam's strong emotions and his reaction to it finally cleared the young ghost's head.

"Uhm," he slowly began, a weak smile forming on his face. He paused slightly and then finally said, "Sorry, guys! And you're right, Sam! Thanks for getting angry at me. It helped!"

Suddenly, Sam and Tucker laughed at his odd apology and gave him a quick embrace.

"Whew!" Tucker finally said, sighing in relief. "I'm glad that's over! Man! I really hate those rays!"

"Me, too!" Danny agreed and he grabbed Sam's hand and said to Tucker, "Uh, we'll be right back!"

Tucker nodded with a slightly nervous smile as Danny gently led Sam away. He could still see Danny hadn't completely recuperated from the attack. That worried him. He feared that his friend might blow up on Sam again. And now that they were alone, she would get the full brunt of it. All he could do was hope that wasn't the case.

Sam followed her boyfriend with uncertainty; just by his abrupt action at leaving Tucker, she knew he was still not all well.

When they were out of earshot, Danny turned to Sam and gently said, "Sorry, and thanks!"

"You already said that!" she answered with a weak smirk, thinking he still might be a little confused. After all, his eyes still weren't focusing well.

"I know! But I think I found our word, the one that we could use to help us get through to each other. You know, the one that I needed time to think of."

"Our word?" she repeated, a bit taken aback. This is not what she had expected.

Danny gave her a small amused smile. Why was she so stunned by this? She acted like she expected him to say something else. "Yeah, for when we need to tell each other something's not right. Our 'code' word," he said, giving her a goofy grin.

"Oh, that word," Sam said, a smirk appearing on her lips, while internally feeling relieved that he was acting more like himself. She could see that his eyes looked better. "Well, what is it?"

"Well, I realized you were calling me 'dweeb' whenever I started acting… like one. It makes me think every time you say it."

Sam smiled with embarrassment before replying, "It is an odd word, isn't it? But I didn't want to say anything worse because I know you didn't mean everything you said." She ended with frown that assured him that she was sorry about calling him any name.

Danny quickly gave her a reassuring smile. "I don't know what I said, but you know I would never say anything to purposely hurt you, Sam."

Sam smiled and he knew she understood. Then she raised her eyebrow and said, "You still haven't told me the '_word'."_

"Yeah, I did. I just said it," he said with a smirk, waiting for her to catch on.

She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of what particular one he might be referring to. Then she guessed, "What? Do you mean 'dweeb'?"

"Yeah! When you called me that, it really got my attention and helped me focus. And come to think of it, it helped a little when I was shot at the museum."

"But I only called you that 'cause you were acting like one!" she replied.

"I know! I know! But like you said, it's an odd enough word that maybe we can use it when we really need to get through to each other. I mean, like for emergencies or something. It could be a code word only in an emergency! What do you think?"

"I think," she began, a smirk slowly appearing on her face, "that you are being a dweeb," she replied, taking him half-seriously.

"Very funny! But seriously, Sam. It worked for me," he said with a tense face.

"All right! We can try it. But I'm not sure if it'll get through to us each and every time," she agreed.

Danny gave her a playful glare. "Well, it better, you dweeb!"

Sam whipped her head back and frowned at him in irritation. He had unquestionably gotten her attention.

But he quickly added with a mischievous smile, "But you're a very beautiful dweeb!"

She shoved him in response. But then they both started to laugh. "See what I mean? It really got your attention just now!" Danny said, his laughter subsiding into a chuckle.

Sam playfully placed a hand on her hip, and in a not-too-seriously lecturing tone, said, "OK, mister, it might work. But don't think that I won't use it when you're acting like a real one!"

"Yeah, I know!" he said with another chuckle and then he pulled her closer and gave her a quick peck and added, "That's for calling me a 'dweeb'!"

And they both laughed again and headed back to Tucker.

When Tucker saw that his friends were laughing and holding hands he knew that all was well.

"Man, I never have to watch drama on TV with you two around!" he quipped.

"Oh, c'mon, Tucker," Sam replied with a smirk. "Don't tell us that you never have a spat with Valerie!"

"I'm not!" he said defensively, "Heck, we've argued more times then you know. It's just I give in all the time. You know, the weapons!" he laughed and then his friends did too. Then slowing his laughter, Tucker added, "So now that _**that's**_ all over, I'm still starved! Can we please get something to eat?"

"Sure, Tuck," Danny and Sam said together and they all went in search of a fast food restaurant.


	29. Chapter 29 Frustrating Search

**A/N: Not much of a summary for the last chapter, except to say that Danny and Sam have come up with a unique code word, to say the least. Hope you're still enjoying this story. And, finally, Shadow, we're back to the puzzle! Now IDOAC! Here is Chapter 29. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 29—Frustrating Search

After a very refreshing lunch—which, for Tucker, at least, is _always_ refreshing—Tucker took out his PDA and said with a satisfied grin, "OK, my stomach and I are finally able to get back to all of this, so let's look at that clue again, shall we?"

Sam and Danny were just finishing their last bites when they nodded in agreement.

Tucker then said, "OK, we all know about the 'brown mount', but here's the rest of the riddle again: 'Look for the blue sea, and the first black count'.

All three looked at each other and blinked again. They still had no clue.

"Well, of course, we'll still have to go the mountain to look for the next clue," Danny said.

"So, then, what are we waiting for?" Sam excitedly asked, as she stood up to throw her trash away…

In no time the three friends had retrieved Sam and Tucker's boosters and then they headed to Mount Melancholy. They landed at its base and were silent again.

"Look for the blue sea…look for the blue sea," Danny mumbled, grabbing his chin. His friends were also just as busy beating their brains. Danny then reached into one of his pockets in order to pull out the scroll to get to the map when he suddenly gasped.

"What's wrong?" Tucker asked.

"The last scroll—it's gone!" Danny gasped again, frantically checking the rest of his pockets. "I must have lost it during the fight with that Spectre!" He sighed a little and added, "At least the rings are still here!" He pulled them out and showed them to his friends. Then he put them carefully back into their separate pockets.

"Well, we can't worry about it now," Sam insisted, placing her hand on Danny's shoulder, trying to cheer him. "That's why we backed it up in Tucker's PDA!"

Danny calmed down a little and said, "You're right, Sam. But it's just that I was so careful with it!"

"We know, dude," Tucker chimed in, looking sympathetically at his friend. "It's just that we don't have time to look for it. It could be anywhere!"

"I know you're right, too, Tuck," Danny agreed. He reopened the map and barely glanced down at it because he was still upset about the scroll. "Well, there's a lake nearby. It's called Lake Shadesville. Maybe that will give us a clue. Let's go look for it."

He began to soar upward toward the lake. Since his friends didn't have any other ideas, they shrugged and followed the ghost boy.

As they flew toward the lake, they saw the valley below. It wasn't, of course, green right now because of the time of the year; but it was there. Finally, they spotted the lake, which was about a mile from the mountain.

As they flew nearer to the lake, Danny cocked his head and looked at it from that angle. He thought of the map. Then he frowned in surprise when he thought of the part of the riddle about the river where the pier had been. "Duh!" he uttered to himself as he brightened with the thought. "Hey, guys," he excitedly said, "Let's go up higher. I want to check something out!"

They obliged him and they soared even higher with Danny leading the way. Finally he stopped and hovered directly above the lake.

"OK, I give, Danny," Sam said as she caught up with him.

"Yeah, me, too!" Tucker agreed, right on Sam's heels.

"Look down!" he commanded with a triumphant look on his face.

They did, and then they both gasped before their faces quickly mirrored their friend's satisfied smile.

"No wonder it's called a 'riddle'," Tucker muttered, a little annoyed with the clue.

And when they started to float downward toward the shore, they just knew that they had to be in the right place. Like the "sea"-shaped bend in the river, the 'blue sea' **had** to refer to the 'C-shaped' blue lake! The Spectre had spelled "c" as "sea"!

As the three friends skirted along the banks of Lake Shadesville, they talked in haste, trying to figure out the last part of the riddle. Their hearts pounded with excitement, knowing that they were closer to solving this mystery of the Prophecy's Omen.

"OK, guys," Danny said, his voice obviously excited as they flew closer to the bank of the lake. "Don't forget: 'And the first black count'." He just knew that they were near the end of the mystery.

The other two teens nodded and they proceeded ahead, not knowing, of course, what they were looking for.

After about a half-hour, Danny signaled for them to land. They landed on the bank of the middle part of the "C".

"Well, guys, here we are being good at being completely lost again! I have no clue what that clue means!" Danny admitted.

"Neither do I!" Tucker moaned.

Sam added, "OK. I'm stumped, too. But let's try something else. We know we have to look for something 'black'. The lake is not that big, so why don't we all start on our own part? Maybe Danny can search the top third of the "C"; Tucker the middle third, and I the bottom of the "C". Then we can concentrate a little more in each of our sections and not feel rushed all at once. We might find something black that way.

"Or we might find lots of black 'somethings'!" Tucker moaned again.

Sam frowned in irritation, but Danny said to her with a smile, "I think it's as good a plan as any, as always!

She smiled back and suggested, "How about if we don't find something that's an _important_ kind of black..." —emphasizing the word 'important' for Tucker to take notice in particular—"…in about an hour, we meet back here?"

"OK!" both Danny and Tucker said in unison.

All three of them separated and headed to each of their 'assigned' section. But the hour passed slowly and painfully and they rendezvous in disappointment.

"Maybe the 'blue sea' meant the 'sea' and not the 'C'," Tucker said with a sigh.

"No, this has got to be it!" Sam insisted with a determined look on her face.

Danny sighed and then suggested, "Well, maybe we all need a big break from this whole thing. It does take a while to get home and it's not like we can just dart back here tomorrow, because after all, we still have school. Even if we tried to come here after school, it's too far and we would be getting here in the dark and couldn't see a thing even if we wanted to! So, then, we don't have much choice, I guess, but to head home for now."

His friends nodded weakly.

"But we can get back here on Friday because it's the beginning of Christmas break!" Tucker said with a smile as he checked his calendar on his PDA.

Danny and Sam looked at their friend and smiled. Tucker had kept a calendar like that **way** before all of this and when he was once mayor of Amity Park.

"Ok, then, are you two ready to just forget everything for now and have a fresh outlook on it by next Friday?" Danny asked.

Sam and Tucker nodded and they all started for home.

And they tried to forget the clue; and had actually forgotten about the lost second scroll.


	30. Chapter 30 Negotiations

**A/N: Ya'll still with me? Remember that our three teens have discovered the 'sea'-shaped lake and are now searching for the final part of the riddle. WWOOWWW! And I can't believe it! Today is my one-year 'anniversary'! I've been reading and writing on FF for one-year now! Whoo-hoo! So, to celebrate, I just happen to have bonus Chapter 30 for y'all. And it's pretty delicious, if I say so myself…. Now, here it is!. Thanks for all your support during my 'rookie' year! **_**It's been a BLAST! **_**And, of course, IDNOAC. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 30—Negotiations

But, of course, the second scroll was not lost. It had been accidentally taken by the Spectre named Umbro who had enveloped Danny when he and his friends had been attacked by the overshadowed humans in Shadesville.

And when Umbro had finally re-formed, having recovered from his violent transportation back to the Ghost Zone, he looked through dazed eyes on what he had managed to grasp in his hand throughout the ordeal. He glanced at the old rolled-up brown parchment paper and uttered a surprised gasp. He slowly opened it and knew that the writing was in Spectre speech, but he could not read it. But it seemed important enough, and as soon as he had returned to the Spectre realm, he would search for his commander, Bhuto…

In no time, Umbro had returned to the Spectre realm and looked for Bhuto. He easily found his commander and quickly surrendered the scroll to him. Bhuto, knowing that this was one of the things that the princess was looking for, immediately headed toward her room.

Jiva, meanwhile, was still recovering from her blow from Danny's blazers. She couldn't concentrate on relocating him because of her condition and was not in the best of moods when she heard the excited rap on her door.

"Enter!" she reflexively growled; and at first Bhuto hesitated to open it because of her obviously angry tone.

"Enter, I command!" she growled more loudly this time.

This time, Bhuto gingerly came in. He bowed very low and did not dare utter a word. Instead, he continued to maintain a very low bow and held the scroll up high above his lowered head.

At first, the princess turned in anger toward the visitor who braved being so silent and then expected her to move, but then she gasped in delight when she spied the scroll in Bhuto's outstretched hands.

"How did you retrieve it?" she uncharacteristically gushed as she jumped up from her lying position and hurriedly floated over to him.

Bhuto relaxed just a little and slowly rising from his crouched position, unconsciously stammered, "F-From Umbro, Highness. He was the one who had swallowed the Phantom-of-the-flesh when we were at the flesh-town of Shadesville."

"Good!" she gushed again. And she was so delighted that she forgot herself again and added, "Now, I will be the one who will have the Omen in my hands!"

Then she realized her mistake, and growing angry at herself for revealing her plans to a witness again, suddenly turned violent and spat out to Bhuto, "Now, get out! And do not come in my presence again unless I summon you!"

Bhuto jolted at her sudden change in demeanor and bowed low again in submission and fear. He muttered, "As you wish, Highness!" He slowly backed away from her, hedging toward the door without changing his bowed stance.

But when the princess glanced at the scroll, another thought entered her mind, and a wide and more wicked grin appeared on her face. She yelled, "Wait, Bhuto! Come here!"

He obeyed her and drew near. He trembled as he kept his head and body low. He was afraid to look at her eyes.

She continued, "I will allow you to find my pleasure again. Return to the flesh-world and look for the Phantom-of-the-flesh. The flesh-girl that is usually with him has a book that I desire. Since you were so adept at retrieving this scroll for me, do the same for the book. And make sure you make that flesh-girl remember that she should not challenge us!"

Jiva stopped at another thought. The flesh-girl was neither a threat nor important. She desired something more worthy of her attention. "Never mind about the flesh-girl for now. But I have thought of a more important matter. I desire that you bring both the book _and _the Phantom-of-the-flesh to me! I cannot convince him to come in my current condition. Do all this and I will give you many rewards! But be warned. The Phantom-of-the-flesh has a power to see you, so stay far enough away that he does not detect you. Now go, and do my biding so that you can gain my pleasure again!"

"Highness," he said in reply and backed out the room the same way he had done when he first was commanded to leave.

Turning away once Bhuto had left, Jiva smiled again and unrolled the scroll. "This has to be it!" She hurried to the nearby wall mirror, and looking at herself, uttered, "Now, if I can only get that book. And if I have to be any more frustrated to get through to the Phantom-of-the-flesh, I will go mad! There has to be a way!" She suddenly smiled with her next thought.

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Meanwhile, Phasma was also recovering from the assault he had gotten from Libro. He had finally returned to his Room of Authority with Spectro.

"What power that Phantom-of-the-Flesh has!" he moaned to Spectro, not knowing, of course, that Libro had been the one who had attacked him. "I must know if he is the Omen of the Prophecy!"

"Yes, my lord!" Spectro said. He did not dare to tell the Prophesy that he was mistaken on what had shot him.

Phasma continued, "Then we must see…" But he was interrupted by Jiva's entrance.

"Father, I need to speak with you!" she blurted out, having no regard to their conversation or to Spectro's presence.

"As you wish, Daughter," Phasma immediately replied, surprising Spectro. Then turning to his chief general, he said, "You may go, Spectro!"

"My lord," the young commander uttered with a submissive bow. "Princess!" he said with less submission and with a restrained edge to his tone. He bowed quickly and left. He was about to double back again, but several servants were all ready headed toward the Room of Authority and had seen him, so Spectro had to move on.

"I do not like him!" Jiva finally said as Spectro left.

"'Like' is not your concern, Daughter. He is my best general," Phasma replied, waving the servants off as they entered the room.

The servants took his signal and immediately left the room.

"Still, I do not trust him!" Jiva muttered. Spectro was the only Spectre in the court that had managed to avoid her touch. If she didn't despise him so, she would have pursued the matter; but as it were, she didn't even want to soil her hands with his touch.

"Again, that is not your concern. Now, what did you need to speak to me in such haste?"

"I am not well, Father," she said, feigning a pained look.

"Not well? What is wrong?" he gasped, truly concerned; and he stood up and quickly floating over to her, grabbed her hands, just as she had wanted.

"I am still unhappy, unhappy that you will not give me the Phantom-of-the-flesh!"

"Jiva,…" he began in a gentle but chiding tone of voice.

But she interrupted him as she pulled away. "Hear me out, Father! I offered you the Book of Legend for him. And I will still get it! But now, I am in the position to offer more. I have the second scroll that you seek!"

She unrolled her hand and revealed the rolled brown parchment. She held it out toward her father but just as he began to grasp it, she quickly snatched it away, cooing in that soft hypnotic voice of hers, "I will give it to you, and the Book soon after, if you will give me the Phantom-of-the-flesh."

"You are so like your mother," he replied with a soft smile. "But I will not have this Phantom usurp me…" But he paused a moment and added, "All right, Daughter, I will give you the Phantom-of-the-Flesh for the scroll and the Book on one condition…"

"Name it!"

"That I may have him first to see if he is the Omen of the Prophecy...If he is not, he is yours..."

"And if he is?" she pressed.

"Then he will be destroyed!"

Jiva thought a moment and then countered, "I will agree on one condition…"

"Oh?" he said with a smile that had a hint of pride in it. She was also so like him.

"That you not destroy him right away if he is the Omen. Let me use my powers on him first. I can absorb his and make us more powerful. We will make him wish he were no Omen of the Prophecy!"

Phasma pondered her offer briefly and then said with a satisfied smile, "Done!"

She placed the scroll into her father's hand and he clutched it tightly.

And she turned away with a very wicked and satisfied smile.


	31. Chapter 31 Exasperation

**A/N: Hope you are having a great time with this story! Jiva has just made a deal with her father: the Book and the scroll for Danny. My, isn't she a conniving and evil little Spectre? Anyhow, ready for a little more zig-zagging? You are? Good! But just remember that IDNOAC! Now here is Chapter 31. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 31—Exasperation

Johnny 13 was beginning to get very worried. Sombre had been angry and upset before, but not as badly as this since they had first met. His shadow friend had not returned for over three days and that wasn't like him! The ghost biker sighed and began to pace the lair.

"Darn it, Shadow!" he yelled as he turned to glide in worry along the next half of the lair. "You know I can't stand all this uptightness! Everything was so cool. I had a cool bike, a cool girl, a cool friend and a cool after-life… And now….well…I just don't know anymore! Why can't you see that our after-life doesn't have to be this full of angst?" He paused; and then he pulled his bike from the corner of the lair. He jumped on it, revved it up, and shot out of the lair's entrance in search of his friend…

Sombre continued to float aimlessly. The way he was feeling right now, he didn't care where he would end up. He just couldn't get all those things out of his head: the Omen, all he had gone through to escape the Spectre realm—which he **did not** want to go back to, ever!—and now his belief about the Phantom creature.

Suddenly, he jolted with alarm! He scanned all around him, only to confirm his fear. He should have paid attention after all! He was in a part of the Ghost Zone that he always avoided, well, except, of course, for the Spectre realm. But avoiding the Spectre realm all these years had been easy because it was so impossibly far away. But **this place. **He had been extra careful about… until now.

Even Johnny 13 avoided this area. It creeped him out; and he would never put Sombre in any danger if it could be avoided.

Sombre scanned the area again, and he startled. There she was! And she was with him! He darted to a nearby floating shelf, thankful that it had a large boulder on it. He pushed himself against it. He swallowed hard and forced himself to look around it.

He sighed in relief. She was leaving and was going in the opposite direction. He slid down the rock and fell into depression again. Here was another bad omen! He had successfully avoided this ghost like the plague since he came to the Ghost Zone; and now, of all times, he almost ran into her!

Suddenly, his mind was flooded with memories of long ago, thoughts he believed he had smothered. But, no, they were as vivid as they were when they had happened all those years ago…

And one name instantly surfaced: Esprit. The Spectre he had feared as much as Varjo. The Spectre he was hiding from right now.

Esprit. She was one of the most heartless Spectre he had ever encountered. And she had been one of the evils behind Varjo's overthrowing his father, Ombre. He hated her for that, true, but he despised her for an even deeper reason**…**

His own mother had told him when he was young that Esprit had hated becoming a mother and had treated her own daughter badly. When Sombre had asked his mother why, he could not understand her answer. After all, _his_ mother had done more than attend to him and his brother out of habit. _His_ mother had cared for them. _His_ mother had _actually_ given them pure motherly **love—**he would know, since he had inherited emotions from his once human father. This is why Sombre had great respect for his mother. For a **pure** Spectre—who did not have any defined emotions—to show so much care as his mother did was awing. Yes, his mom had indeed _loved _him and his brother. And that was something Esprit never gave her own daughter. She didn't even care! This was the other reason, _the deeper reason_, Sombre hated Esprit, the Spectre currently just a few feet from him.

He still could not believe that any mother would behave as horribly as Esprit had. Besides, Esprit had once been Queen! Shouldn't she have behaved with the dignity that her station demanded? Indeed, it was hard for Sombre to believe someone could be this cruel, but his mother had no reason to lie.

Sombre sighed at his next thought. That wasn't the only thing his mother had told him about _her. _It got worse. His mother had told him that the reason Esprit hated becoming a mother was because she had wanted to develop her own power that she had inherited from her father, Abantesma, the last Spectre Whizard. Clearly, having an offspring got in the way of that. But in and of itself, that would not be a strong enough reason for Esprit to hate her offspring like she had—well, at least to Sombre it wasn't. Indeed there was a deeper cause…

And it was tied to Esprit's husband and Ombre.

When Esprit's husband, who was the Prophesy before Ombre came, refused to let her have her way when it came to her obsession, the queen was enraged with her husband. And the fact that she did not have enough power to go against this refusal, against _her powerful husband_, infuriated her more! She had no means of conquering her obsession. An obsession that had taken root in her and blinded her to everything else. An obsession that had been compounded with the birth of their daughter, Fantasma: the Queen's intense desire to remain ever youthful.

The reality of having become a mother was too much for the Queen's fear of growing old. So, she had planned to abandon her family shortly before Ombre came. But then, the spread of the Black Shadow Decay and Ombre's arrival messed up Esprit's plans. Her husband had succumbed to the disease and his rule died with him—much to the queen's joy. Now with the realm in chaos, she had seen her chance to gain full control over it and pursue her passion. And while she was at it, rid herself of her daughter, too…This would have been perfect had Ombre not found the Spectre. He, of course, saved the Spectre from total destruction and the Elders and the Spectre who had survived the decay declared him the new Prophesy.

Once again, Esprit was enraged and would now not be satisfied until she had her revenge upon Ombre. And she finally got her chance. With the arrival of Varjo. Through her powers, she had found out that Varjo had been an enemy of Ombre when they both breathed in the Flesh-Plane. And she wormed her way into Varjo's confidence; and together, they planned to overthrow Ombre.

Sombre shuddered with his next memory, something he would never forget. He reflexively checked around the boulder again and saw that she was still within sight. He shuddered again when the same memory demanded his attention…

Esprit would not be satisfied with just overthrowing Ombre. She had wanted him and his family's complete destruction. And she saw to it that Varjo gave her special permission to attend to the annihilation of the latter. It was _she_ who had had Sombre and his brother imprisoned. But she didn't stop at that. She had them tortured, and had witnessed all of it with a wicked glee. At times, she had even gone so far as attacking them with her own terrible power. Then one day, she was suddenly gone. But they had escaped before she could have completed her plans anyways.

Sombre sat stunned for a moment, feeling as if the memory had buffeted him as brutally as what he and his brother had endured. It had been no easy task to escape from the dungeon with their lives. And he recalled not thinking much as to why Esprit suddenly vanished. In fact, he had not cared at that point. He was just glad she was gone. Then, he had been too relieved to find out that his mother had managed to smuggle the rings and herself out before she could come to any harm from Varjo—or Esprit— to think anymore about the latter's sudden disappearance…then.

Sombre would have gladly put all this behind him after he had been saved by Johnny 13; but by keeping in touch with his mother and Graciella Holton, he was still bound to these unwanted memories. What he learned from them about the Spectre Realm caused him grief, but not as much as when Graciella finally had to tell him the sad news about his own dear mother. How she had been discovered in the Real World by the Spectre; and that she had had to flee, only to never have been heard from again. He knew then that he was all alone.

And it was during one of his many contacts with Graciella Holton that he had inadvertedly found out about what had happened to Esprit—the mother of Phasma's wife, Fantasma, and Jiva's grandmother-—after she stopped coming to the dungeon. He, of course, could have cared less whatever her fate may have been. But he found out anyways...

There were **a lot** of times Graciella would go off on tangents, gushing about useless gossip in the Spectre realm; and he would politely listen and ignore them. However, one day, during one of her tangents, Graciella had thrown out Esprit's name. And despite his lack of interest for the once Spectre Queen, he had perked up with that piece of information. That's when Esprit's sudden disappearance had finally made sense… She had been betrayed again. By Varjo! He had refused her to finish off Ombre's family. He had wanted to reserve that pleasure for himself. Esprit, of course, had objected; but Varjo had the amulet now and she knew that she would not be able to defeat him.

Still, she had wanted to plot a new revenge scheme upon Varjo, but then she had found out that he had laid plans to rid himself of her! So, she was forced to flee into the Ghost Zone, leaving her daughter behind without regret.

And in the Ghost Zone, Esprit had found a new life, a life where she could pursue her obsession after all. And she also met a once human ghost that was more than willing to help her. At first, she was repulsed by him as all Spectre would be. After all, the Spectre were superior to all races. But this particular ghost possessed unusual abilities. He had his own powers, but he was especially good at whipping up serums and other concoctions that would have made Abantesma proud. And he was a shape-shifter. Esprit knew he would be useful to her, and so, they became inseparable.

Sombre unwittingly growled. That creature must have made it possible for Esprit to speak as the humans do! But then, maybe she had learned with her own powers. That would explain a lot of things, especially her ability to shoot Spectre rays, even if they weren't black. With another growl, he quickly dismissed these thoughts as unimportant. All he cared about was to stay away from her. And he had, until now.

Still, another thought unexpectedly seized him, and he growled in anger again. He was glad she had changed her name when she adopted the Ghost Zone as her home. But how dare she still take on a Spectre name after all she had done to her family and his in the Spectre realm and after all the rumors of her mischief here! And to treat such a loathsome creature as that human ghost as an equal, to any Spectre, no matter how deplorable, was too much!...

But then, he stifled his negative thoughts as he remembered something else, or rather, someone else. Johnny 13. _That_ human ghost, of course, was not a vile creature to him. Quite the opposite. He suddenly felt remorse about his feelings about flesh-shadows. And he missed his friend. It was time to head back to their lair.

He checked around the boulder again and smiled weakly when he saw it was all clear. He took off back toward the direction he had come, very relieved that he had avoided Esprit and her assistant. He paused, remembering with a sigh that that wasn't _her_ name anymore.

It was Penelope Spectra.

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Friday morning finally arrived and it was beginning to be a habit lately for all three of the friends to be meeting up at Danny's house at the crack of a weekend dawn. They were so close to solving this mystery that they could feel their excitement mounting again...

"Well, guys, I hope this is it," Danny said with a yawn.

"Me, too," Sam agreed, stretching. "I don't think I can fool my body anymore into thinking that this time of day is night!"

"Yeah," Tucker replied with his own yawn. "I'm beginning to agree with my father that I shouldn't demand that my body get up this early on my days off!"

They all chuckled—and yawned—again.

Without further ado, they headed to Shadesville to scour the "C"-shaped lake again.

When they finally got there, they 'divided' the lake among themselves and began their search. But about an hour later, they all returned to the agreed meeting place on the bank of the middle part of the 'C'-shaped lake.

All of them were discouraged again.

"Maybe we need to approach this from higher up again," Danny suggested. "It helped the last time."

"But we all ready did that!" Sam objected, jerking her arms toward her sides to emphasize her frustration.

"But we didn't do it thoroughly. And we didn't do it together, either! You know that they say that two sets of eyes are better than one, well, three, in our case, um… yeah. The point is this has to be the right place. I just have a feeling about it!" Danny insisted.

They all paused; and then Tucker moaned, "But what if we were wrong all along?"

"Then we start all over again!" Danny firmly answered him. "We made a promise to solve this mystery for all the Spectre's sake and we won't let them down!" His voice had a strong ring of determination to it that both of his friends recognized at once. It was the same tone he had whenever he made up his mind. And it was this type of determination that gave them the confidence to trust whatever his decision would be.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Sam finally uttered.

All three smiled slightly and flew upward, beginning the arduous task of blindly searching for the last unknown clue.

After a couple hours of meticulous searching the upper part of the "C"-shaped lake, the trio landed at the south bank of the lower third of the lake, disappointed once more.

"Well, we still have the other two sections at least. We're sure to find the answer in one of them," Tucker uttered, trying to sound encouraging.

Danny sighed and replied, "Yeah, well, we need a break. Why don't we…"

"…get something to eat?" Tucker said, finishing the sentence for him. He was way ahead of his friend.

They all chuckled in agreement even though they were still upset, and headed into town.

They landed in the usual hiding spot to stash the boosters and walked the remaining distance to the town. They had agreed since Shadow's End to bring money instead of food. They now knew that it was better to travel as lightly as possible.

They cautiously entered the town, the three of them paying close attention to see if Danny's ghost sense would be triggered. But to their relief, his ghost sense remained mute and they enjoyed their earned break.

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In the meantime, Bhuto had managed to find the three with Jiva's help. He kept his distance between himself and the teens far enough not to attract Danny's detection. But since he had excellent eyesight, he was never too far to not notice what the three youths were doing. The Spectre kept as quiet as he could and patiently waited for his chance…

After lunch, the three teens landed near the lower third section of the lake. They didn't need to discuss their plans any further. They merely nodded in acknowledgement and went right to their searching again. They instantly spread out but they made sure they overlapped each other to keep from missing any—if any—clue.

After another laborious hour, Danny stopped and hovered over the lower section of the middle part of the lake. He motioned for his friends to join him.

"Still nothing?" Danny quizzed when Sam and Tucker caught up with him.

They both shook their heads.

"Well, then, that's zero for two!" Danny said, referring to their strike out of the two sections of the lake they had already explored.

"Let's get to looking at the middle, then, OK?" Sam sighed.

"I agree, Sam. But let's take a short break. We brought drinks and there's a park on the shore of the middle section," Danny suggested.

His friends nodded wearily and they headed toward the park. Finding a picnic table under a shelter of trees, they sat and silently swallowed their drinks. They all felt they could easily blend into the soft chilly wind as the sound of the lake's gentle waves quietly serenaded them.

Finally, Sam commented, "Let's hope that the clue is in this section. If not, I don't know what we'll do."

"Don't worry, Sam. We'll figure it out. We always do," Tucker replied with an encouraging smile; and she smiled back.

The teens looked out to the lake again and noticed some stepping stones directly ahead of them. The stones were fairly large and were square in shape. They started on shore and slowly inched their way into the lake where they met a small floating dock. They looked very old and only stood a few inches above land or water. And they had been painted in different, yet now, faded colors. For instance, some of the stones that were once red were now pink, and the ones that used to be dark blue were now a pastel blue, and so forth. There was no doubt that the worn, dull stones were mute witnesses to the many years of erosion and human use. This array of alternating colored stepping stones included not only pink and light blue ones here and there, but also light green, grey, and white ones. And the teens found their eyes playing along the top of each stone until they spied the floating dock again.

"Hey, let's start over there!" Danny suggested, pointing to the dock. "I've always liked floating docks."

"Me, too, dude, but only when it's ninety degrees outside!" Tucker commented with a slight shiver from the mid-December wind. He was glad that at least it was a very clear, sunny day.

"We're not going to dive off of it, Tuck," Danny teased as Sam and Tucker turned on their rocket boosters. They followed the stepping stones closely as they headed to the floating dock.

They landed on the dock and glanced briefly back at the shore. "Let's meet back here when we're done, OK?" Danny asked.

Sam and Tucker nodded; and they all three began the same pattern of search on the middle section of the lake as they had for the other two sections. But after over an hour, they found the same results.

The three friends reconvened on the floating dock. Discouraged by their failure after all the hard work they put into it, they plopped down hard on the little dock, causing it to sway and rock precariously.

"Whoa!" Tucker yelled, but then laughed as it finally settled under their weight shift.

He and Sam took off their boosters and leaned against them. Danny also leaned against Sam's booster. The warmth from the boosters felt good against the chilly air.

"Now what?" Sam said "I just don't have any other ideas," she added sadly.

"Yeah, me either," Danny sighed and Tucker also nodded in disappointment.

All three sat there in silence letting the lake calm their discouragement, its soft waves wooing the tired friends like the melancholic mythical sirens as they lapped against the dock.

The teens all shifted slightly and turned to look in different directions from where they were sitting. Sam looked to the southern part, Danny to the north, and Tucker stared back at the shore.

Tucker's eyes danced over the stepping stones in front of him, which now led his gaze back to the shore. Funny, how they seemed to bob in and out of the lake as if they were buoys, yet he knew that they were planted securely in the river bed and shore. He decided to count them, trying to distract his frustration. Besides, none of the three friends were in a hurry to leave. They still were racking their brains over the clue.

Suddenly, the bespectacled boy noticed something. And then another thing. The stones seemed to change colors as he stared at them! He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and adjusted the frames more securely on his face. He looked again. Yes! The same light green square was a darker shade of green just below the part of the stone that was showing! And that light blue stone was a darker shade of blue just under the surface that was showing. And the pink was red and the white was yellow. And the grey was…black!

Forgetting where he was, Tucker jumped to his feet and yelled, "Hey, guys!" He caught his balance slightly when the dock rocked a little under his shifted weight.

His yell startled his friends and they also instinctively jumped up, ready for anything. But the combined movement of both of Danny and Sam's sudden weight shift pushed the dock downward on their side, and when the dock quickly rebounded, the force of its rocking motion sent Tucker screaming right into the cold lake.

Danny gasped, "Sam, the boosters!" as he dove right in after Tucker.

Sam in turn gasped and grabbed both of the rockets before they plunged into the lake. She shot downward onto the dock, trying to steady herself and the boosters as Tucker's and Danny's sudden weight loss off the dock made the dock rock more violently.

Just as Sam was able to control her and the boosters' movement, a very soaked and cold Danny and Tucker jolted out of the lake and landed back on the dock. Danny quickly made both of them intangible and the water rolled right off of them and splashed Sam. Now she was soaked.

"Hey!" she protested, flinging some of the cold water off of her.

"Sorry, Sam!" Danny apologized and grabbing all of them and the boosters, made all of them and the dock intangible until all the water had returned to the lake.

When they rematerialized onto the dock, they and the dock were all dry.

"What was that all about, Tucker?" Sam demanded.

"The stepping stones!" he blurted out in excitement now that he was warm and dry again. "Some of them are black!" He pointed to them, and his friends looked at the squares in bewilderment.

Tucker continued, "The clue!...Remember? The clue is very, very old and the stones aren't their original colors! The paint has worn off. Like the red squares are now pink, the dark blue ones are now light blue and…"

"The black are grey!" both Danny and Sam interrupted in excitement. They had finally seen what Tucker meant.

"Right!" Tucker smiled in glee.

And all three looked at each other and smiled in triumph. They just knew they had finally figured out this mystery!


	32. Chapter 32 Getting Warm Again

**A/N: Hope that you're still with me! Remember that IDNOAC thing and the fact that Johnny is out looking for his friend and our three teen friends have just found the answer to the clues! Oh, and one the readers suggested that I ask anyone out there if they want to draw a picture of Jiva on DeviantArt. That would be SOOO cool! Any takers? I'll let everyone know if you do! And thanks ahead of schedule for that, too! Anyhow, in the meantime, here goes Chapter 32! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 32—Getting Warm Again

Sam quickly handed Tucker his booster and then she strapped hers on. The three friends instantly took off from the floating dock and flew to the first grey stone ahead of them.

"OK, guys, let me look!" Danny suggested and he plunged right into the clear lake, scaring a school of fish. He ignored the cold that again clamped down on his entire body and charged up an orb of ectoplasmic energy. He could see that the stone was indeed entirely black beneath the surface, with chipped paint here and there. He felt along the square block, moving from one side to another until he had looked on all four sides at this upper section, looking for any signs of holes, latches or any other possible hiding places. He silently grunted in slight irritation when he had to continuously shoo away the curious fish that flitted between this stone and the ones adjacent to it.

Sam and Tucker, meanwhile, hovered above and could only see the green orb of light emanating from one of Danny's hands under the surface of the water. Then the orb grew smaller as their friend dived further down.

Finally, Danny resurfaced; and after taking a long breath, immediately dove back down without saying a word to his friends. He did this three other times, each time shaking his head in failure when he came back up.

"Nothing!" he finally uttered after he caught his last breath. He had thoroughly examined the entire stone. He pulled himself out of the water; and after becoming intangible and letting the waster slide off of him, returned to his friends' side.

As the trio hovered several feet above the same grey stepping stone, Sam looked to Danny and suggested, "Well, maybe that's not the 'first black count'. Maybe we should be looking at all this from the shore, not the dock!"

Danny smiled at her idea. "OK, let's look!" he announced and then reached over to his girl and gave her an affectionate squeeze on her cheek before flying with both of his friends to the shore. They retraced their steps, being certain that the first grey stepping stone was exactly that, using the shore as their reference point.

Again the ghost teen dove into the lake; but this end was somewhat shallower, which gave him more time to dive and search. He again charged up his energy orb, but this time he adjusted the beam with one of his Blazers so that its aim was more like a flashlight. He felt all around the black block with his other hand again. Even though he spent as much time underwater as he had with the other stone, he was able to examine the stone more thoroughly with each diving try.

He resurfaced again; and taking a quick breath, dove down further again. But as he saw the bottom of the lake approach, he began to get disheartened again. He was still finding nothing! Just as he began to turn to come up again, he randomly aimed his beam at the very bottom of the lake. He saw something reflect back just where the stepping stone abutted the floor of the lake. He made a mental note of it and came fully up.

"Anything?" Tucker anxiously asked.

"No, but there's something else I saw at the last second that I want to look at again. Be right back!" Danny answered as he took another deep breath and dove under again.

He headed straight to where he saw the reflection earlier. He pointed his beam in that direction and his eyes widened in excitement when the light caught the reflection again. He was glad that there were hardly any fish in this part, well, at least hardly any curious fish. He swam faster to it, making sure he kept the beam steady on it. Finally, he was there and he felt his heart race when he saw that the reflection was the top of something metal! He reached for it and seeing that it was some kind of latch, pulled on it, but it did not budge. But then he saw why: it was partially buried. The sediment had slowly blanketed the latch, securing it deeply after all those years it lay hidden at the bottom of the lake, undisturbed until now.

The ghost hybrid quickly yet gently brushed the silt away, mudding the water, which blinded him at first; but he kept digging until the latch was free. Finally, the water cleared and he eagerly pulled the latch down. A door half-opened, but it was still blocked by the sediment. Danny pushed that part of the silt away even more quickly now that he now realized that holding his breath was becoming a challenge.

"_Better hurry!"_ he thought, as he began to feel a little light-headed. He had never tried to hold his breath this long before. He doused his light and pulled on the door with all the might of both of his arms, and the door finally gave way. He grabbed the chest that was inside it and sped upward toward the surface.

Meanwhile, Sam and Tucker were still hovering overhead. Tucker glanced down at his watch. It had been over two minutes since Danny had dived back down. Tucker turned to Sam and said a little nervously, "Uh, do you know how long Danny can hold his breath?"

"No, I don't. But he'll know when to come up, so don't worry," she calmly replied. "Besides, he's OK because I can still see his energy beam."

They waited for over another minute; and then Tucker, who had been watching each second tick slowly by since he first notice how much time had passed, said more nervously, "Just how long can people hold their breath underwater? I mean, Danny doesn't have to worry about that, does he?"

"I don't know, Tucker, but wait!" she gasped, as she suddenly **didn't **see Danny's ectoplasmic beam. "His light's out! He must be in trouble, Tucker!"

But just as they began to panic, Danny forcefully broke the surface and coughed a little as he gasped for air.

"Are you all right, Danny?" Sam fretfully asked, flying up to him.

Tucker sighed in relief, seeing that his friend seemed to be fine.

"Yeah, I am! I'm sorry that I took so long, but it was worth every second!" he said as he floated up away from the water. He immediately went intangible and let the water slough off of him before he unrolled his still clenched hand. He lifted his outstretched hand toward his friends, revealing a small, highly decorated chest identical to the other one that they had found during their quest at Shadow's End.

"We got it!" the ghost boy beamed.


	33. Chapter 33 Suspicious Meetings

**A/N: Well, gonna make you remember about what happened so far, 'cause I'm just feeling lazy today. Now here is Chapter 33. Enjoy and don't forget that IDNOAC thing! ! OH, and have you figured out that little mystery of all the Spectre names yet?**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 33—Suspicious Meetings

All three of the friends smiled with their hard-earned success; and then Sam said, "Hey, how about we head back to the shore and look at it there, OK?"

Her friends nodded, and they flew back to the same picnic table where they had had their drinks.

When they got there, Danny put the intricately adorned chest on the table and waited until Sam and Tucker had taken off their boosters. Then, all three of them found themselves gawking at the little chest.

Realizing that they were doing just that, Tucker chuckled, "Well, aren't you going to open it, Danny?"

"Here, Tucker. Why don't you open it, since you were the one who solved the last part of the clue?" Danny suggested, handing the chest to his friend.

Tucker smiled and eagerly accepted it with a "Thanks!" and slowly opened the chest as his two friends huddled around him.

Just before Tucker put his hand into the chest, Danny's ghost sense alerted him. The ghost boy gasped and immediately grabbed both of his friends, made them all intangible and invisible, and dove into some thick shrubbery that was close by.

"Sorry guys," he quickly whispered to them. "But my ghost sense went off just now, so there's gotta be a ghost somewhere around here!"

"Do you think it's a Spectre?" Tucker whispered back, quickly closing the chest. He then wrapped his hand firmly around it to be sure that he wouldn't drop it.

"I don't know, but let me find out," Danny quietly replied as he activated his Blazers. He turned to his invisible friends and said with a half-smile, "And don't worry. I'll be careful!"

He let them go, and Sam and Tucker rematerialized. The humans were well hidden by the shrubbery. They watched intensely through whatever opening the bushes allowed as their still invisible and intangible friend soared away.

Danny carefully scanned all around; and then, finally, he saw the ghost. And it was a Spectre. He knew that his ghost sense never failed him! But the teen didn't know at first that it was Bhuto, Jiva's commander, the same Spectre who had attacked him at the museum and the one who was defeated by Tucker in the town the week before. And he didn't know, of course, that this Spectre was trying to capture Libro and him.

Danny could see that this shadow ghost was desperately searching the area himself. The boy thought, "_What is he doing here? Is he looking for the scroll, too? But how would he know…?" _Then an odd thought shot through his mind. _"No! He is the same one that attacked me at the museum! This isn't coincidental! He must have been sent to spy on us! Well, jerk, it's time to send you back to your lair!"_

The teen materialized and yelled, "Hey, jerk! Hasn't anyone told you that you don't belong here? And tell your boss to leave us alone!" And he immediately fired his Blazers at the surprised shadow ghost, sending Bhuto screeching back to the Ghost Zone before the Spectre knew what had hit him.

Bhuto found himself dazed and floating inside the Ghost Zone. He brought his hand to his shadow head and gasped when he realized what had happened. The princess would **not** be happy! But that was not his concern at the moment. His head was spinning and he was in no condition to do much of anything right now. He needed to find a safe place so he could recover from the powerful attack from the Phantom-of-the-flesh.

He searched in desperation. He had no idea where he was. Most Spectre never left their realm; and they could only find their way around in the flesh-plane or flesh-shadow plane when guided by their leaders or through overshadowed humans. But at least their small amulet could be used to find their way home. He shuddered as he thought of the princess again. He didn't want to go home just yet.

Suddenly, he jolted at what he saw in the near distance. There was another Spectre! But Jiva's commander had never seen that one before. Bhuto's hazy mind slowly thought, "_Why is __**that **__Spectre there so far away from our Realm? Is he lost, too? Or maybe somehow he can tell me where we are and where I can go until I feel better."_ Bhuto stopped, feeling dizzy again. He continued his slightly wayward flight, slowly following the other Spectre.

Then out of the blue—well, since they were in the Ghost Zone, really black, purple and green—a voice called out from behind him. "There you are, buddy!"

Bhuto startled and turned around, confused by who would be addressing him in such a way. He was even more surprised and bewildered when he saw a just-as-shocked biker flesh-shadow looking back at him.

"Who are **you**?" both of them gasped at the same time.

"I asked you first!" both of them answered in complete unison.

"Uh, sorry, dude!" Johnny 13 nervously said. "My bad! I-I thought you were someone else!" He suddenly caught a glimpse of his now-glowing ring. He swallowed his gasp at the sight. He quickly turned it around with his thumb and fisted his hand to hide it. He suddenly knew that this was why they had understood each other.

"Did you mean **that **Spectre?" Bhuto asked, pointing out Johnny 13's friend, just as Sombre was nearing the entrance of his and the biker's lair. "I have never seen him before. What is he doing out here?"

"Sorry, dude, didn't quite catch that!" Johnny 13 hurriedly remarked. Though he was nervous, the biker ghost knew he had to keep the shadow ghost distracted. Trying to throw the shadow ghost off, he added, "Uh, don't know what you're talking about. And ya must've, like, made a mistake. That's just an odd-looking shadow-of-the-flesh."

Bhuto stopped, suddenly becoming suspicious when he realized that this flesh-shadow understood him for some reason; and that he actually used the term 'shadow-of-the-flesh'. He growled, "Strange that I can understand you perfectly, flesh-shadow! How do you know my speech? Spectre do not come this far from their realm!" He inadvertently closed his eyes a little with another attack of dizziness.

"Uh, well, you're here, aren't you?" Johnny 13 said, trying very hard not to look or sound too nervous. "And, well, I travel a lot." He revved up his bike to emphasize his point. "I've met all kinds of ghosts. Learned bits and pieces of all types of ghost languages, you know, dude! But don't expect me to understand everything!" Johnny 13 said, realizing that he was having more difficulty stifling his jitteriness. He swallowed hard and added, "Uh, can I help you find your way back to wherever you came from?"

The shadow ghost put his hand to his forehead and groaned a little, but insisted, "No, I will not need your help. I am all ready beginning to feel recovered from the attack of the Phantom-of-the-flesh."

"Phantom?" Johnny 13 accidentally blurted out.

"You know of him?" Bhuto blurted back, his head clearing with another sudden thought. This was just too coincidental in Bhuto's mind. The other Spectre. Why this flesh-shadow understood him. Both of them knowing the Phantom.

But his thoughts were interrupted by Johnny 13's answer.

"N-No! Just heard of him," the biker stammered. His efforts to sound casual were getting more unconvincing. "A-Anyhow, dude, don't let me hold you up! Sorry I can't help you anymore! I gotta go myself!" He revved up his bike and sped away toward his lair. He dare not turn back and make that other Spectre any more suspicious. He bit his lower lip, fearing that he had really after-lived up to his name again and screwed it up badly. He sighed with his next thought. At least he had _not _done that: told the shadow ghost his name! Just as he approached the lair, he braved a quick glance back. He sighed in relief this time when he saw that the shadow ghost he left behind had his face in his hands. He quickly darted into the lair, entering it perfectly. He knew that since he entered it this way, the other Spectre would not be able to find him or Sombre unless he knew the secret way.

Meanwhile, Bhuto watched the ghost biker as Johnny 13 sped away. But he felt a twinge of dizziness again and reflexively cupped his face into his hands. He rubbed his eyes briefly and when he pulled his hands away and opened his eyes again, he searched the distance once more. He gasped when it seemed that the biker had disappeared into thin air! "How can this be?" the shadow ghost hissed and flew in the direction of where Johnny 13 had gone. He searched around but could not find any trace of the biker. He was about to turn to retrace his steps when he saw an odd reflection. He swung back and slowly approached the strange light. As he got closer, he suddenly heard two voices coming from nowhere. And one of them was the biker's voice! He drew nearer, careful not to go too fast or make any noise, and listened.

"Dude, I wish you hadn't gone without me! It could've been dangerous!"

After what he narrowly avoided—that is, running into Spectra—Sombre couldn't argue with the biker ghost. But he didn't want to alarm his friend, so the shadow ghost said as casually as he could, "What could possibly happen, Johnny? I needed time to think!" He paused briefly but then added, "I am still safe here, so I do not always have to travel with you. Besides, the Spectre do not go this far into the Ghost Zone!"

Bhuto jolted. The other Spectre he saw **was** in there and was speaking to the flesh-shadow! He drew his shadow ear even closer. He would not need to go any closer because he had excellent hearing.

"But I saw another Spectre!" the biker added breathlessly, throwing his hands up in agitation.

Sombre was shocked to silence at first. Now he was unnerved all over again, like he was when he narrowly missed Spectra. Had she seen him after all and followed him here? He stammered, "H-How do you know that?"

Johnny frowned at him, not believing that his Shadow would doubt **him**. "C'mon, Sombre, don't pull that on me! I know a Spectre when I see one! Especially one as big as you! But he said he was lost, and he said he had been shot by the Phantom kid! That Spectre must've been up to no good, then! But I didn't want to hang around or say nothing else. So, I got here as fast as I could. And I don't think he was able to follow me, though, 'cause he wasn't looking up when I came in."

Sombre paused again, stifling his sigh of relief. It **wasn't **Spectra after all. But, then, who was _this _Spectre? This was **another** bad omen! He jolted in shock when the rest of what Johnny said finally sunk in… Did his friend actually talk to him?

"Y-You, you spoke to him?" Sombre stuttered in disbelief.

Johnny 13, still upset about the incident and now with his friend's reaction, unexpectedly fired back and Sombre wasn't ready for the emotional barrage his friend threw at him. "Yeah, 'cause I thought, like, he was _you_ at first! And he saw you! And I couldn't help it! He asked about you and I tried to distract him, but he wasn't buying it. And I know why. I understood him and he understood me, ya know, because of this!" He thrust up his hand that had the ring on it and shook it violently.

But Bhuto, of course, couldn't see that and didn't know to what Johnny was referring.

Johnny continued, not allowing his friend to get a word in edgewise. "And he figured out how weird it was that we understood each other, too! But I didn't say too much." He paused slightly, and then skittishly added, "Well, yeah, well, maybe I kinda screwed it up. I was so shocked and nervous to see another Spectre way out here that I accidentally told him I knew the kid, the Phantom kid!..." Johnny shuddered in fear. "So now, this time, I think it would be a good time to look for a new lair. Things are getting too heated for me!"

Sombre didn't know what to say at first. Maybe his friend was right… But they had always been safe here, safer than any other lair they had in the Ghost Zone before they found this place. He slowly replied, "I do not know, Johnny. I think you have been right all along. No one has ever bothered us here. And it has been the safest place we have ever been in. And it does not look as if that Spectre has found the entrance, or would he not be here all ready? Besides, we would have heard him. I think we should stay." He hoped he sounded just like Johnny did when Sombre had broached the subject of moving when he was alarmed about the rings.

But Johnny continued, really arguing more with himself this time. "Now **I'm **not sure, buddy! That Spectre was, like, too close to us! And why was he even out here? Maybe he could have seen me come in, but he couldn't when he wasn't looking up, uhm, right? Besides, even if he did, he would have been tricked in the end, 'cause I rode the bike in perfectly, not causing any wrinkle to the entrance. He couldn't have seen, then, right?…." He looked to his friend with anxious eyes.

"Well, then, you see, we have nothing to worry about! You **know **we checked a lot to make sure that no one could follow us a long time ago. Even I could not see where you went to every time you came in here. You are too good with your bike... And I think you are right and we would have heard him by now if he had found us. So, we still have time to think things through. And we can stay here as long as we need to," Sombre said with a weak smile.

"But we've thought about it more than I wanted to! The Phantom kid was right, Sombre! Don't you think that maybe, uhm, like, now is the right time to do something, like, you've been saying all the time? How much longer are you gonna wait, buddy?"

Sombre didn't answer him at first, but looked downward instead. The shadow ghost had decided that now was indeed the time, but he did not want to go through with it. Finally, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, Sombre said, "Give me a little more time, will you, my friend? No one knows of this place but us and the Phantom. We will be safe from the Spectre for now, as we always have. It will not be long."

Calming a bit, the biker nodded weakly and smiled unconvincingly. He was still worried.

Bhuto, meanwhile, smiled with this obviously serendipitous twist. Not only had they not detected him, but they gave him so much information. This strange Spectre had to be a renegade! He must have done something bad indeed to flee the wrath of his kind! And what was his name? Sombre? Definitely a Spectre name! Bhuto knew this was important.

He looked around and saw a floating ghost platform not too far away. He headed straight to it and landed on it. He turned directly around and saw the same strange reflection and smiled again. He searched and found some rocks and fashioned a flat arrow so that it pointed directly to the reflection. Then he spied his surroundings. He saw what turned out to be Skulker's Island not too far from where he stood; and Bhuto knew he would **not **forget **that** ghostly landmark.

It was time to return to the Real World to continue with his task. His head was now clear and his mission was now more important. And the shadow ghost produced his claws, rent open a hole, and dove in.


	34. Chapter 34 The Final Clues

**A/N: Well, is your head spinning yet? Let see what's happened so far: Danny, Sam and Tucker have found another little chest under Lake Shadesville. Just before they could open it, Bhuto arrives on the scene. But Danny detects him and is able to send him back to the GZ, compliments of his Blazers. While recovering in the GZ, Bhuto stumbles upon Johnny 13 and discovers that another Spectre—Sombre—is there, too. And, the roller coaster is only going to get wilder. So hang on, and IDNOAC. Here is Chapter 34. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 34—The Final Clues

Danny hurried back to Sam and Tucker and told them all about the Spectre that he had sent back to the Ghost Zone.

"You really think he's the same one who attacked you at the museum?" Tucker asked, a little freaked out by Danny's insistence that he knew who that shadow ghost was. "You were hit from behind, remember?"

"Yeah, I know! He did surprise me and I never saw him. So, it does sound crazy, Tuck, but I **know** he's the one!" He paused and rubbed the back of his neck at his next sudden thought. "And he was definitely looking for something…..but not the scroll… And he's… he's working for Jiva...Uhm, I can't explain it!" Danny said, frowning in both worry and embarrassment, drawing his lips in at how it all must have sounded to his friends. It did seem impossible—and even crazy—but he **knew** he was right!

"Well, I, for one, believe you, Danny," Sam said, placing her hand on his shoulder and then sliding it quickly down until his hand was in hers. She gave his hand a slight squeeze and smiled assuredly. "A lot of strange things have happened to you since you got attacked by the Spectre. Like being able to read and speak their language. Maybe this is just another of those effects. After all, you were hit by a red-and-black ray again when we were in the town almost a week ago. So, I don't think it's impossible, or even crazy." She squeezed his hand again.

He smiled and squeezed back. He was glad that she was his girl.

They all then fell to an awkward silence, not certain on what to do.

Tucker finally remembered the strange pressure in his hand and looked down. Holding the chest up for them all to see, he broke their silence, asking them with a smile, "OK, then, are we ready to look at the answer to this mystery?"

"Yeah!" Both Danny and Sam said in unison; and after Danny pointed to the picnic table nearby, they all headed back to it and sat down.

Tucker slowly opened the little chest and his face fell a little when he saw another brown parchment resting within the chest's bosom. Though the beret-wearing boy was excited to be the first to look at the scroll, he knew he would be useless in reading it. "Uhm, I think you need to be the one to read it though, dude," Tucker sheepishly said, handing the brittle scroll to Danny.

Danny smiled slightly and took the scroll from his friend and slowly unrolled it, glancing downward at it as he did. Sam and Tucker looked on in anticipation and their eyes widened when Danny frowned in disappointment and uttered, "Why am I **not **surprised that it's more of that mysterious—and irritating—gibberish again?" He then groaned, adding, "And it's even longer than all the others! I can't believe after all we've gone through that there's more! I thought we had the mystery solved."

He glanced up and looked to his friends, who also looked discouraged. He sighed, "OK, Tuck, you know the routine."

"Way ahead of you, man," his friend slowly remarked, his voice echoing his friend's disappointment. He already had his PDA out and ready for texting.

Danny paused slightly, glancing over the entire passage. Then he sighed again and said, "OK, here goes," and proceeded to read very slowly:

"Many flesh-bound shadows hither draw  
within the Small Park vizard  
Lays here the most important awe  
Secret of the Spectre Whizard

"Flesh are weak  
Need help they seek  
At wellness place nigh the creek  
But not at the peak  
Will they seek  
The secret that the Whizard will speak."

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

"Darn it!" Danny said at the end. "It doesn't tell us the name of the Prophesy! And this clue says "Omen of Prophe**SIGH**" not "Omen of Prophe**SEE**" like Johnny 13 said. Uh, maybe the Spectre could've messed up the word during all those lost years? But at least it does say that it's the last scroll on the top of it." He looked to his friends, half-expecting them to have an instant answer to the riddle. But, of course, they said nothing. He sighed and added, "Can I read it over again, Tucker, you know…"

Tucker nodded and handed his friend the PDA. Danny quickly checked it over, comparing the scroll to what Tucker wrote on his PDA. At last, he nodded in satisfaction with the minor corrections he had to make; and then handed the PDA to Sam. She also reread the clues, and then handed the PDA back to Tucker.

All three friends found themselves silent again.

"Well, here we go again!" Tucker finally moaned. "At the rate we're going, we'll never be able to figure this out!"

"We got to be close. And the scroll **has** to be really from that Whizard that Johnny spoke about! The word 'Whizard' is spelled the way Johnny spelled it, and it's capitalized here! And all the stanzas have the word 'secret' in them," Danny offered, trying to sound encouraging. He glanced at the scroll again.

"Don't worry, guys, we'll solve it, we always do," Sam gently said, looking to Danny just as she placed her hand on Tucker's shoulder to encourage him.

"But how much longer will it be?" Tucker moaned.

They looked at each other without a word. Danny frowned in frustration, picked up the scroll and looked at it again. He paused a moment, and then suddenly smirked at his next thought.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Danny excitedly said after rereading the scroll. "I think I know the first part all ready! Remember how Johnny 13 told us that the Spectre called the human ghosts 'shadows of-the-flesh' or 'flesh-shadows'?"

"Yeah!" Sam and Tucker chimed in together, perking up and getting encouraged about his idea. Their friend seemed so sure.

The ghost boy continued, "Well, could the first stanza be referring to Amity Park? It does say that 'flesh-bound shadows' go to that 'Small Park'. I found it odd that the Spectre Whizard capitalized 'Small Park'. But what the heck is a 'vizard'?"

Tucker pounded on his PDA for a second, read over his results and then announced, "Well, it says here that 'vizard' is a mask used for disguise."

"Uhm, OK," Sam began. "Well, there're lots of ghosts that hide themselves within Amity Park. Maybe that's what that 'vizard' thing means. You know, like disguising themselves or something?" She winced at her guess.

"Maybe, though that's a good guess, Sam. But we can't be sure. Still, our town is small _and_ the most haunted place on Earth," Danny continued. "What do you think, Tuck?"

"Sounds to me that both of you've a way better stab at what it could mean than me. I would vote for Amity Park. But maybe 'vizard' is just at word that Whizard dude just needed to rhyme with 'whizard'?" his friend replied with a slight cringe.

Sam resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Tucker's idea. He was trying, after all. Instead, she grabbed her chin and thought a moment. She then commented, "Maybe. But what if it could be hinting at something hidden? **In** Amity Park." She paused, and before her friends could answer, added, "That would kinda make sense. So, do we all agree that the first stanza might be referring to Amity Park?" The boys nodded, and she continued, "OK, then let's look at the second stanza."

Tucker read off from his PDA:

"Flesh are weak  
Need help they seek  
At wellness place nigh the creek  
But not at the peak  
Will they seek  
The secret that the Whizard will speak."

He then paused at his sudden idea. He finally stuttered, "I-I can't believe that… uhm, I think…, I mean, I **know** what it's talking about!"

Danny and Sam turned right to him, eager to hear his guess. Their minds were already beginning to whirl on fast forward.

Tucker swallowed hard and said, "I think it means the hospital! It's right on Amity Creek and…"

"It's a 'wellness place that weak "flesh" uh, I mean, humans, go to'!" Danny chimed in, finally getting a little more excited.

The boys looked to Sam and she nodded in agreement. "I think you both got it!" Then she crossed her arms smugly in front of her and added, "And by the way, from now on I don't want to hear any more excuses from both of you that you can't understand poetry!"

All three chuckled a little and then Tucker, who was getting a more excited, suggested, "So, how about the next part?"

They reread the next stanza and this time, all three were stumped.

Danny then said, "At least it looks like we have a good start. But don't you think it's time we head home? It is getting late and maybe we should research the clues dealing with the hospital before we go on, OK?"

Sam nodded; but when Danny glanced at Tucker for an answer, he did a double take. His friend's face was already beginning to look ashen.

Just as the three friends were leaving Lake Shadesville, Bhuto clawed his way back into the Real World and immediately scanned the area. His keen eyes immediately spotted the three friends, who had just decided to head back home. The shadow ghost smiled in triumph that where he had entered this flesh-realm was far enough away from the friends that neither Danny nor Libro had detected him. And this time, he knew he would need to be extra careful not to get too close.

He tracked their moments from a distance; and when the three friends began to leave for Amity Park, Bhuto did not pursue them right away. He waited until they were just in his sites, which for a Spectre, was very far away. Then he began to follow them…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The trio had just reached the outskirts of Amity Park when Danny slowed to a hover and motioned to his friends to come closer. They obliged him and he said, "Hey, guys, I did want to look up all that stuff about the hospital. And I have a feeling that we're so close at figuring it all out. But, now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting a little tired. How about we call it a night and start again tomorrow? What do you think?"

Tucker answered for the both of them, "Well, if **you're** getting tired, you know what that means. We're even more wasted!"

Danny looked at them. Now that he thought about it, his friends did look beat, but they had never let on. He smiled a little and said, "What would I do without you two?"

"Probably stay in trouble!" Sam quipped back, trying to stifle her yawn. She then added, "But I still kinda want to go over the clues once more."

"Me, too!" Tucker said, stretching a little. "How 'bout we make a quick stop at your house, then, Danny?"

Then Danny added with a smirk, "Well, then, let's not take too long before we all get some rest, OK? And, of course, since having people running around with boosters is a **little** uncommon even here in Amity Park, let's not make it obvious that we've come back."

His friends nodded and then Danny grabbed both of his friends' hands and made all three of them intangible and invisible. They soared toward Danny's house.

They finally reached Danny's home and they all phased into Danny's room. They rematerialized and Tucker and Sam removed their boosters just as Danny reverted back to his human form. After they had gotten some quick refreshments and Tucker had made a quick call to Valerie and Sam to her grandmother, they reconvened, sitting on top of Danny's bed with Tucker in the middle. All three hunched together as they looked over Tucker's shoulder, studying the next clues on his PDA.

They reread the third and fourth stanzas of the clue:

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

"Well, aren't cornerstones on the bottom of buildings?" Sam finally asked.

"Yeah, and Amity Park Hospital sits right on top of the original hospital. I bet that the clue is really talking about that oldest part, not the current one. After all, it has been rebuilt four times and the newest one is only about forty years old," Tucker piped in.

Danny and Sam looked at him, their eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?" Tucker objected, seeing their reaction and getting a little embarrassed. Then admitting to his secret, he blurted out, "So I research hospitals! I'm trying to find some way to get over my phobia, you know!"

They all chuckled and then Danny unconsciously stretched. He said with a yawn, "OK. Tomorrow, then, we search for the original foundation of the hospital."

"And the cornerstone," Sam reminded him with another yawn.

"And the cornerstone," her boyfriend repeated. "In the meantime, let me get you guys back home. I **know **how cranky you can both be, so I'd hate to be the one to wake you up if you accidentally fall asleep here!"

They smiled wearily and Danny quickly morphed to his ghostly form. He grabbed each of his friends, became intangible, and just as quickly brought each of them to their respective front doors.

Danny gave Sam a short, but gentle, kiss goodnight just before he soared away to his home. He floated through his window and landed inside his room. Instantly changing back to his human self, the boy plopped on his bed. He was too tired to eat anything else, and his thoughts drifted back to the clues.

The words echoed in his drowsy mind. And as he drifted off, he smiled.

Tomorrow, he was sure they would finally find the answer to the Omen of the Prophesy.


	35. Chapter 35 Unexpected Developments

**A/N: How's it going? Have you solved the mystery yet? Well, just hang on! So far: Our trio has found the last set of clues. Bhuto has spotted them after coming from the Ghost Zone again, and is about to follow them. He also has found Sombre and Johnny 13 while he was in the Ghost Zone. And you still know about the IDNOAC thing! Now here is Chapter 35. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 35—Unexpected Developments

Meanwhile, Jiva anxiously waited for Bhuto to return with her treasures. She could feel that things were not going well for her commander, but she urged herself to put it out of her mind. She knew that Bhuto was driven by his hunger for special privileges and would not disappoint her. She chided herself for worrying and prepared her room for the next step of her plans…

And in the Room of Authority, Phasma still brooded, agitated with indecision. It wasn't enough that Jiva had recovered at least the second of the scrolls for him. He was still frustrated. He did not understand why all his efforts to find out about the Omen of the Prophecy up to now had been thwarted, and especially by the interference of that flesh-shadow creature! What kind of presage was this? Why was this Phantom-of-the-Flesh such a burden on his mind? Was he the one foretold? If so, Phasma would definitely have him destroyed. But, what if he couldn't be destroyed? So far, the fates had been on the side of that creature. But Jiva would remedy that. He would allow his daughter to render this potential prophesy useless. He sighed in partial relief. Maybe it was best that he not pursue the matter any longer. .. Maybe everything would blow over and come to nothing…. But a new thought emerged in his mind. The Elders! They would make it unbearable for him, plaguing him mercilessly until they all had the answer to the Omen of the Prophecy. His desperation suddenly resurfaced. He could not ignore this matter after all. His mind cleared a little, and he now felt a new surge of strength. Yes, it was time. He gave in to the next demand in his mind, now feeling compelled to solve the riddle. He hit the small gong and he commanded his servants to fetch Spectro. Soon, the Spectre commander was bowing low in front of his leader.

"My lord Prophesy?" Spectro uttered as he slowly pulled himself upright.

"We will venture again, Spectro!" Phasma sighed. "In spite of the Phantom-of-the-Flesh, I will find the Omen of the Prophecy. And I will make that creature suffer for his audacity. How dare he attack a Spectre! Even if he is the Omen, he will wish he were not! We will start at once!"

Spectro had no answer to Phasma's rant. Instead, he bowed low again and muttered, "As you wish, my lord!"

It did not take much time, of course, for Spectro to gather Phasma's small army. The high commander was always prepared. Soon, they all were ready and on their way to the flesh-city of Shadesville…

And as Phasma and Spectro entered the Flesh-Plane town called Shadesville, all the concerned parties were unawares at first that Bhuto was very close to them.

Bhuto was deep in concentration, visually tracking Danny, Sam and Tucker as they headed back to Amity Park. He, too, had not noticed the sudden appearance of Phasma and Spectro's band. Finally, Bhuto decided that now would be a good time to start to follow the three teens.

Suddenly, one of Spectro's lieutenants came up to Spectro and alerted him, "My liege, there is another Spectre in the distance there!" He quickly pointed Bhuto out to him.

Phasma was within hearing distance of the two and he blurted out, "What? Another Spectre on his own here? He must be a traitor! Spectro!"

Spectro turned to him, knowing what his leader wanted. He lowered his eyes slightly in submission.

Phasma continued, "Have two of your soldiers bring that creature to me!"

"As you command, my lord!" Spectro immediately replied, and he in turn nodded to two of his lieutenants. Those two Spectre charged toward Bhuto.

And just as Bhuto had begun to move toward where he had tracked the teens, he was suddenly aware of two strong sets of shadow hands which clamped around his arms. He struggled at first, but then he recognized the Spectre who had captured him. He immediately stopped opposing them, and came willingly. But he couldn't help but be terrified, because even though Jiva knew that he was, he wasn't supposed to be here on his own.

Finally, Bhuto and his escorts returned to Phasma and Spectro's group.

"Do I know you?" Phasma boomed, angry to see this lone Spectre out of his realm without his permission.

"B-Bhuto, Highness!" Bhuto stuttered in fear. He was uncertain whether Phasma would treat him any better than Jiva. "I-I was lost. Sent to...to this flesh-town after I-I was attacked at the edge of the Realm by the Phantom-of-the-flesh!"

"What? The Phantom-of-the-Flesh was near our Realm?" Phasma gasped, as he turned to Spectro.

But Spectro was unimpressed. The generals had not revealed that name and only two Spectre had used the term "Phantom-of-the-flesh" since Phasma uttered it: Phasma and Jiva. And he also knew that Jiva had also picked Bhuto as head of her little army.

"Spectro? Did you not hear me?" Phasma shrieked when his high commander didn't react the way he thought he should.

"He does not tell the truth, my lord," Spectro calmly replied. "He is under the command of the Princess for her own purposes."

"What? And you did not inform me of this?" Phasma boomed at his second-in-command.

Spectro lowered his head and honestly said, "The Princess forbade me, my lord."

But she had her reasons, my lord!" Bhuto spoke up. He suddenly realized that he did fear Jiva's wrath more than Phasma's.

Phasma, outraged that this Spectre spoke out-of-turn, seethed, "Speak! And speak quickly if you know what is good for you!" Secretly, however, the Prophesy really wanted to know what Jiva was up to.

"S-She sent me to find the r-renegade traitor to you as a present," he stammered, hoping that his hunch about Sombre was right.

Spectro widened his eyes a bit at the news, but quickly contained himself. The princess **had **mentioned getting a surprise for her father when he had tried to find out what she was up to.

"What traitor?" Phasma asked suspiciously. "The Spectre have no traitors that have not already perished or are imprisoned!"

Bhuto began to lose confidence in his ruse, but pressed on, "B-Begging your forgiveness, Highness, but the Princess was certain of him. I found him and I can lead you to him…I-I am certain he is the traitor that you seek!"

Spectro was slightly taken aback. Just what was Bhuto up to? But Phasma interrupted his thoughts.

"What are you speaking of? Did you not hear me? There are no traitors this far from the Realm!" the Prophesy shrieked, raising his arm in a threatening manner.

Bhuto was now desperate. He had better convince the Prophesy soon or his doom was sealed. "But there is one here, Highness. I heard it from his own lips! And the name he called himself was Sombre!" He cringed, half-expecting a blow from the leader should his words fail him.

Phasma gasped and Spectro barely stifled his own. But the Prophesy's crown of red hair flared in anger as he seethed, "Now, I believe Spectro…You are lying!" He motioned two of the nearby Spectre soldiers to subdue Bhuto more forcefully.

"No, my lord, I speak the truth! Let me lead you to him!" Bhuto desperately begged, struggling slightly to counter the strong, painful hold of the Spectre restraining him.

"He only says this to buy time from your justice, my lord," Spectro quickly countered, making a threatening gesture to the other Spectre.

"No, Highness, I beg you to listen to me! He is in the Flesh-Shadow Plane! If I am proved wrong, then let your justice be tenfold upon me!"

Spectro could say nothing to parry Bhuto this time, and silently looked to Phasma for his reply.

"Brave talk, Bhuto! I will give you your chance. If you do not speak the truth, you will indeed feel my wrath as no other Spectre has!" Phasma promised, and just as he said this, he pulled out his amulet and suddenly, all the other Spectre there were under his power.

Phasma rent a hole into the dimension and willed all of the spellbound Spectre to follow him.

Just as they all had entered the Ghost Zone, he commanded, "Lead me to him, then, Bhuto, and pray that he vindicates you!"


	36. Chapter 36 Unplanned Capture

**A/N: Staying with me? Hope you are! You know what's happening, right? Bhuto was about to follow Danny, Sam and Tucker to Amity Park when he was captured by Phasma and Spectro. But Bhuto, desperate to avoid punishment, tells them about Sombre and promises to lead them to him. Phasma, though upset about Bhuto's whole role in the matter, gives him the chance to lead them to the renegade. After the three friends returned to Danny's house, they figured out more of the new set of clues. They think that they will need to go to Amity Park's hospital to find out more about the mystery. Now here is Chapter 36, and IDNOAC! Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 36—Unplanned Capture

By now, Bhuto's pace had slowed to a crawl due to the current internal struggle that clouded the Spectre's mind. Try as he might, he just couldn't guide the others. He just couldn't focus. Phasma's power over him was too great. But his mind and will, instinctively burning to be free from the oppressing power, wrestled for control against it, even if it were a lost battle. And in his confused state, Bhuto found himself momentarily lost as to where he had seen Sombre and Johnny 13. It also didn't help his cause that he had never explored this part of the Ghost Zone.

Bhuto was stumped. He couldn't lead them anywhere.

After wandering aimlessly behind Jiva's commander for quite some time, Phasma grew impatient. Why was Bhuto leading them nowhere? Deciding to speak to Spectro about it, he turned to him, only to meet with the pair of glowing, vacant red eyes belonging to his commander. Phasma frowned, but immediately understood why.

He had forgotten that the Spectre were all still under the power of the amulet, and could not think clearly because of it. Spellbound as they were, the Spectre would not be of much use, except for following his commands…Now, the Prophesy knew that it was the amulet that was preventing Bhuto from guiding them.

Phasma immediately released the others from the spell and his subjects momentarily drifted in a daze.

Finally, Bhuto recovered enough to probe his memory. But his still hazy mind made him hesitant in his quest. He could feel fear seize him, dreading that he would fail to remember where the renegade was. He desperately scanned the horizon for the strange ghost island that heralded the place where his marker was.

As they continued forward in their search, Spectro, watching the erratic flight of their guide, soon became suspicious of Jiva's commander. He was now convinced that Bhuto was bluffing. He quickly glided over to Phasma and silently waited for the Prophecy to acknowledge him.

"Yes, Spectro?" Phasma remarked, seeing that Spectro desired to speak to him.

"My lord, Prophesy. It is now clear to us all that Bhuto is wasting our precious time. There is no other Spectre in this strange realm!" his high commander replied.

Bhuto heard them and quickly soaring up to them, pleaded, "No, my lord, the renegade is near!"

He looked slightly past the Prophesy just after he spoke, and he jolted when he finally caught a glance of Skulker's Island just ahead. Bhuto was so excited that he darted away from the group without saying another word.

But Phasma and the rest of the Spectre mistook Bhuto's reaction for his attempt to escape from them and they quickly pursued him.

And just as suddenly, Bhuto veered away from Skulker's Island and sped toward the flat piece of floating ghost land just west of it, all the while with the other Spectre in hot pursuit.

Finally, Jiva's commander skidded to a halt on the floating shelf just as all the other Spectre shot past him. He frantically searched for the arrow he had made.

It wasn't there.

Trying not to panic, Bhuto hurried to another area and sighed in relief when he finally spied his landmark.

In the meantime, Spectro was the first to rebound and instantly flew back, retracing his path; and landed next to Bhuto. He readied his claws in attack and challenged Bhuto, "You lying devil! The plan of your princess is no more real than that imaginary Spectre you conjured up!"

But before Spectro could attack, Phasma and the others arrived.

Two of the Spectre lieutenants seized Bhuto, but he pulled away and didn't hesitate to scream, "T-There, my lord! See that reflection? H-He is there!" His arm trembled as he pointed out the light.

The others turned to see to where he was pointing. And they all saw the reflection.

Bhuto insisted again, "Follow that strange light to the end. And that is where you will find the renegade Spectre! That is where you will find Sombre!"

Phasma then turned to Spectro and raised the amulet up to him and the nearby soldiers. The amulet burned a bright red as it gave them more power to subdue any creature that would be at the receiving end of their black energy rays.

He commanded, **"**Spectro, now that I have enhanced your seals, they will be black-and-red, making them powerful enough to kill. Go, and retrieve Sombre. And leave some of your soldiers here to guard this creature. He has rebelled against many Spectre laws and will at least be punished for leaving my presence without my permission!"

Spectro immediately motioned to a few of his soldiers and they responded instantly. They surrounded Bhuto with their sharp claws drawn, and one of them moved close enough to make sure one of his blades was at Bhuto's throat. Bhuto, though terrified, did not struggle.

Meanwhile, Spectro and his other soldiers headed toward the reflection in anticipation. But before they had reached their designation, Spectro commanded, "You have much power in your control. But do not permanently harm the Spectre or any others that may be with him. We need only render them helpless to resist us."

The soldiers nodded, acknowledging their leader without any questions. They moved swiftly yet silently. And before they knew it, the Spectre soldiers were within Johnny 13 and Sombre's lair.

Johnny 13 was the first to hear the Spectre and uttered in alarm when he saw them, "What the...?" But it was too late. One of the soldiers had already thrust a black-and-red beam at him, and another had attacked Sombre before he could respond, rending both of the ghosts senseless.

The group of Spectre quickly surrounded the unconscious forms of their victims and started to pick them up.

"No! Leave the flesh-shadow!" Spectro commanded as he approached the group that had lifted up Johnny 13. "He is of no use to us and he will not survive the harshness of our Realm!"

"As you wish, my liege," one of his lieutenants responded as they dropped Johnny 13 rather harshly; and the unconscious flesh-shadow fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Spectro motioned the others to leave with Sombre. He delayed following them and went over to Johnny 13 just as the other shadow ghosts had left. The Spectre commander lightly touched and checked Johnny 13 over. He sighed in relief that the flesh-shadow did not seem to be seriously hurt by his fall or the blow from the Spectre seals.

And as the Spectre general turned to leave, not he, nor any of the shadow ghosts who had been there, had ever noticed that underneath his outstretched hand, Johnny 13's ring had been glowing.


	37. Chapter 37 Mulling Over the Clues

**A/N: How did that last chapter get to be so short? I guess it's because I wanted to leave you in suspense-AGAIN! ELOL (which = Evilly Laughs out Loud!) Man, haven't y'all figured out by now how crazy I am? Oh, well, I made it up to ya with this chappie. And here's what happened so far: after being momentarily confused under the spell of Phasma's amulet, Bhuto finally locates Sombre and Johnny 13's lair. The Spectre easily subdue them and take Sombre with them, leaving Johnny 13 unconscious. Now, here is Chapter 37. Remember the IDNOAC thing! Now enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 37—Mulling over the Clues

Johnny 13 groaned as he groggily opened his eyes. The Spectre who had shot him had given him a wicked jolt, but he had been protected from serious harm by the ring.

But the biker ghost did not know or understand that this had happened. Instead, he was trapped in his confused thoughts. Why did he feel so empty and frightened? He looked around, barely able to make out his unfamiliar surroundings. He gasped. How did he get here? He shivered, trembling as a scared child would. Suddenly, something in the lair moved threateningly toward him and he gasped again. He could not make out its face and was glad he couldn't see its eyes when its large pinkish-purple hand suddenly clawed at him. He screamed with fear.

The biker ghost sighed in slight relief when the pinkish-purple creature turned away, seemingly repelled by his yell. But then his eyes widened in terror once more when he saw the creature's hideous arm jolt back in his direction. He yelled again, but this time it ignored him and attempted to clutch at him for a second time. Johnny's eyes tried to follow the arm upwards, so he could see his attacker's face, but the single evil, bright eye that greeted him instead sent a terrified shiver down his body, and he had to look away. He didn't dare look again, as he just knew that a horrible creature would be waiting behind its bone-chilling stare.

But upon hearing a loud snap, his survival instincts took over and forced him to look up. He caught sight of the monster's arm just in time to see it move threateningly towards him as before. With a panicked cry, he frantically crawled away from his attacker this time. He focused forward; too frightened to look back and see where he was going. And he still didn't look back, even when he reached a corner of his lair and found himself unable to move further away. He just pressed himself against the corner, hoping that if he squeezed hard enough into it that that would somehow protect him from the threat nearby.

Through his blurry vision, Johnny 13 couldn't see, let alone understand, that his attacker was nothing more than an illusion produced by his confused mind. What he believed was a clawed hand reaching out to harm him was only the scarf Kitty had left on his bike after their last date, simply moving about in the wind. As for the glowing, evil eye, well, it was merely the gleam reflecting off the cycle's shiny chrome.

Still, he stayed in his hunched position, his face hidden in his hands, while his body trembled violently. He was too terrified to move, sure that his end would come at any moment.

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Danny groaned loudly as his eyes jolted open. He blinked in the darkness, momentarily wondering if he was still asleep. But then he realized how quiet it was and knew what had happened. Another nightmare!... A strange, sweet voice that barely hid its treachery had been echoing in his mind. Blood-red menacing hands reached out to him as he desperately tried to pull away…

His breathing quickly slowed as his mind cleared. He stretched his arms upward, and turned and looked at his alarm clock. It read 'five-thirty am'. He reached over and turned his nightstand light on, shielding his eyes as the light penetrated the area.

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, the boy pulled himself to a sitting position and then stood. With a yawn, he stretched again.

Now his mind was fully cleared, and his memory came into focus. The clues of the final scroll, especially the last two stanzas, pushed all thoughts of his nightmare far away. He had inadvertently memorized the entire contents after having fallen asleep, rolling them in his mind. He focused on each word again:

"Many flesh-bound shadows hither draw  
within the Small Park vizard  
Lays here the most important awe  
Secret of the Spectre Whizard

"Flesh are weak  
Need help they seek  
At wellness place nigh the creek  
But not at the peak  
Will they seek  
The secret of which the Whizard speak."

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

"_We have to be right! The answer's hidden in Amity Park. And, just as Tucker said, it's gotta be in the old hospital!" _he thought._ "But Sam could be right, too… Maybe what we're looking for __**is**__ in the cornerstone… So then… what does, 'no hint, no trace, but the only true case' mean?" _

He went into his bathroom and brushed his teeth, the words of the riddle still echoing in his mind, _" '…no_ _hint, no trace, but the only true case…in the dark stone…'"_ He absent-mindedly got into the shower, and just like the water which drummed against his face, the riddle's words drummed against his mind._ " '…The name will cry upon the throne, the Omen of the Prophesy!'…Definitely this is the answer to this entire mystery…But what dark stone?" _He kept questioning himself even as he got dressed. He quickly combed his hair with his fingers and uttered, "Well, the only way we're going to find out is to get to the hospital soon!"

He quietly went downstairs, knowing that everyone else was asleep. He entered the kitchen and after a quick breakfast, opened a nearby drawer and drew out a pen and some paper. He scribbled out a quick note and then after placing it on the clean table, whipped out his cell phone and called Tucker.

"Hello?" his friend sleepily said.

"I guess you're not ready yet, Tuck?" Danny chuckled a little.

"No, sorry, dude. Just give me five minutes, OK?" he asked with a yawn.

"Hey, take twenty. You need to eat, after all. And I still haven't called Sam yet."

"Thanks, Danny. I'll be ready as soon as I can," Tucker said with another yawn.

Danny's phone rang just as soon as he hung up on his friend. Bewildered, he answered, "Uh, hello?"

"Danny! It's Sam!" the familiar voice on the other end said. "I'm ready whenever you are!"

"Wow, Sam, it's getting a little creepy to think that you might be becoming a 'morning person'!"

"Now, don't get stuck on that! As if! I think I've just used up my last trick in fooling my body to get up this early!" she answered with a slight laugh.

"OK, Sam, I'll be there shortly and then we can head over to Tucker's. He's still not quite ready."

"OK, I'll be waiting for you," she said and quickly hung up.

Even though she had made that comment casually, Danny smiled at her response. He knew that she would always be willing to wait for him! He quickly transformed into his ghostly alter ego, turned intangible, phased out of his house, and soared toward Sam's house.

In no time, Danny picked up Sam, and then they were both flying toward Tucker's home. They landed near his front door, and Sam softly knocked on it just as Danny changed back into his human form. This time, Tucker answered it.

"Thanks for giving me more time, guys. You know my stomach would not have survived the angst if it had to wait to be fed later."

His friends chuckled and then Danny said, "Oh, by the way, Tuck, I brought something for you."

"You did?" His friend smiled.

Danny stretched out his fisted hand and Tucker reached toward it with an outstretched one. Danny then dropped the Fenton phones into his friend's hand.

"Huh?" Tucker blurted out, confused.

"Well, you'll need these, since you'll be waiting for us on the **outside** of the hospital, right?"

Tucker smiled weakly and nodded. After all, his friend was right!

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Before too long, they arrived at an outside isolated part of the hospital. The sun was just waking itself up, its pink and yellow fingers stretching outwards from it in a yawn, while its welcoming warmth greeted the trio below.

"But I really want to go!" Tucker objected, not aware that his breathing had quickened and he was already perspiring with the anticipation. "I mean, I was the one who showed you the map of the original hospital and was able to figure out that the old foundation was right under here!"

Danny sympathetically placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. He gently said, "After what happened the last time you were here, do you think you could handle it, Tuck? I can see that you're almost in 'full blown phobic' shock right now. Why don't you just stay here and we can relay to you through the Fenton phones what's happening?"

Tucker moaned in disappointment. All those months he had tried to overcome his fear by delving into the subject had actually made him worse! He frowned with determination this time, and stepped forward, penetrating that "invisible" perimeter of phobia closest to the hospital. He shivered and broke out in even more sweat. His shoulders drooped in his admitted defeat. But then he righted them again, and pointing at his friends to stress his point, he insisted, "OK, but if there's **anything** I can do or if **anything **happens, you call me **right away**, you promise?" He put his Fenton phones in his ears.

"We promise!" Danny and Sam both said, just as they put their Fenton phones in their ears. Danny then grabbed Sam by the waist and made them both intangible and invisible. They phased right into the ground, and then headed to the deepest and oldest part of the hospital.

Just as his friends left, Tucker kicked the ground in disappointment before he plopped right down onto the grass. He pulled out his PDA in a huff and brought up the last part of the clue. He read it over but was still so upset that the words did not sink in right away:

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

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Meanwhile, Bhuto sat with his head bowed on a bench in his holding cell. He was unaware that within a nearby and similar holding cell, Sombre was beginning to recover from the Spectre attack. There was no light in this dank room and the walls which encased Bhuto were solid except for a small slit in the bottom of the bolted door. He did not try to fight off the depression as it crept over him. Though he had helped Phasma find Sombre—even if it were by accident-he still had broken many of the Spectre laws. He had spoken out-of-turn to the Prophesy, had been out wondering alone outside the Spectre Realm, and had left the Prophesy's presence without permission. He would have to pay for his transgressions. He knew he would not be treated with the least bit of leniency at his hearing before the Elders and Phasma.

Suddenly, in the utter darkness and silence, Bhuto heard a slight scratching sound. He looked up and scanned his cell but he could see nothing. He dropped his head again, but then he heard an even louder scratching sound. He looked around again and then the wall suddenly had a crack in it.

"Help me, Bhuto, I cannot open it alone!" the muffled voice from the crack commanded. He instantly recognized that it was the princess!

Bhuto immediately jumped up and yanked on the partially-stuck door, grunting and struggling until he finally pulled it open. Jiva glided through the opening.

"Highness, you are here?" he gulped, completely shocked.

"And all because of your foolishness!" she hissed, as she wiped off with disgust the dust that had gotten on her. "Do not look so surprised. I often come here to taunt my prisoners. But in your case, I want more!"

The male shadow ghost swallowed hard and lowered his eyes, "Your command, Highness?"

"The same as it always has been. I desire the Phantom-of-the-flesh and the Book. My path to him is finally very strong and I know where he is!" She paused and concentrated. "He is in the flesh-town that is his home. The name of it…is…Amity Park!"

Bhuto listened intensely to her and dared not utter a word.

"I did not wish for you to find this Sombre, whatever pathetic creature he may be. The past of my father does not interest me. But it seems your rash capture of this Spectre has pleased my father. He will judge you lightly…I will see to that. Therefore, you have to repay me now that you foolishly involved me in this matter."

"But, Highness, I had planned to do as you commanded but I stumbled upon the renegade, and…"

"I already told you that I did not care about that!" she shrieked.

He gulped and fell silent.

She smiled at his submission. "But no matter. Nothing will come of it. You can still do as I desire!"

"But, Highness, Spectro…"

"Spectro? What does he have to do with it?"

Bhuto tried to squelch his trembling at the hatred he felt when she spat out her words just now. He stammered, "H-He told Phasma that you forbade him to speak about our matter."

"He did now, did he?" she hissed. Her eyes narrowed in hatred but then she laughed confidently. "Nothing will come of it as well. I will see to that. And do not worry that they discover you missing from your 'palatial' quarters here! I have taken care of everything!"

Bhuto looked at her, but even though he was uncertain as to how she could do that, he was afraid to say anything.

She continued, "Return to my chambers within the next two days with the Phantom and the Book and all will go well with you, Bhuto. Fail me, and you will wish that you had never existed." She smiled, but it was a very serious and menacing one. "Now, before you go…" She pulled out several strands of her flaming red hair and gave them to him. "Wrap these around your amulet as before. They will make you more powerful. You will be able to strike with your black seal rays—which will be intertwined with red—more than once. But remember, do not kill or injure the Phantom. Use what power is necessary only to subdue him. And beware of the Book. You should also be able to render it helpless with this same power. And as before, you will know where to find him because of me. Now, let us go!"

"Highness!" he said with a low bow, gesturing for her to enter the opening in the wall first.

She swept past him and he followed her, and he sealed the door in the wall shut as they left the cell.


	38. Chapter 38 Attack and Capture

**A/N: Getting more exciting for ya? Hope so! It is for me! Waa-HOO! This story just hit over 200 reviews! My first story to do so! I'm SO excited, so please forgive me while I hyperventilate…..Now I think I calmed down…a little….…Now, a quick summary: Danny, Sam and Tucker have arrived at the hospital, searching for the answer of the next clues. Tucker is left behind because of his phobia while Danny and Sam dive downward through the ground to search the ruins of the original hospital. In the meantime, Sombre has been captured and is in the dungeon, and Jiva secretly helps Bhuto to escape the dungeon as well, for her own purposes, of course. And, of course, don't own nothin'! Here is Chapter 38. I dedicate it to my 200th reviewer, pearl84! Thanks to everyone as well for all their delicious thoughts! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 38—Attack and Capture

Jiva did take care of everything as she had promised. With her powers, she had convinced her father to delay Bhuto's hearing for at least a fortnight. It was better than she had hoped. That would give her plenty of time to finalize her ultimate plans.

She had also swayed her father's feelings on her role in this matter, and used Bhuto's actions to her advantage. By the time she was finished with the Prophesy, he was certain that even though her decision to send Bhuto outside the Realm without the Prophesy's permission was rash, it was bold. And that it needed to be—and expected of their house—in order to retrieve the renegade called Sombre. She had definitely not only avoided his ire in the matter, but in fact, gained more admiration from him on her ingenuity.

As for making sure no Spectre would discover Bhuto was missing, she gave strict orders to the guards of the prison that Bhuto was to be held in solitary confinement; and the only contact that would be made to him was from either herself or the Prophesy. But again, she had made sure that her father would have no desire to contact Bhuto. She was certain that she would have no worries in this scheme.

As Jiva headed back to her chambers, she smiled triumphantly. All her plans seemed to be falling into place… Suddenly she halted and frowned in disgust at her next thought…Except for **one**. **Spectro**. But she silently smirked, assuring herself that this, too, would go in her favor. She was certain of what she would do. It would be as easy for her to take care of **him** as it had been to steer Phasma's mind away from her forbidding Spectro to keep her matters quiet.

Spectro, in the meanwhile, knew, of course, that Phasma would confront his daughter about Bhuto; and that Jiva would prevail, and handily escape Phasma' wrath unscathed… And he also knew that the princess would find out how Phasma had learned of it. But he was not worried about Phasma's being angry at **him.** Phasma trusted him. No, he knew he would have to deal with Jiva. But not now. And he had other, more important, worries. So, he gained Phasma's permission to check the troops at the farthest corners of their realm until he could figure out what he would do about Jiva and the new Spectre prisoner.

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Bhuto hurriedly flew through the Ghost Zone toward the place that the princess had burned into his mind. He looked ahead and a moment later, instinctively knew that this was the right place to stop. He produced his claws and tore a hole into the dimension. He did not know this flesh-town, but he knew that the princess would guide him through it all. He surprised himself when he hesitated at that moment at the entrance of the portal he had produced. Would the princess truly be pleased if he succeeded? But he brushed his doubt away and with more resolve, plunged right into it.

He scanned the surroundings and found himself in an even stranger flesh-dwelling place than the two previous ones to which he had been sent. This must be the 'Amity Park' of which the Princess had spoken. He looked to the distance and saw a large white building just ahead and knew that this was the flesh-wellness place where his princess wanted him to go.

As he soared to it, he kept to the natural shadows that made themselves available to him. He knew he had to take the Phantom by surprise in order to be successful. He was so intent on coming up with a quick plan that he didn't notice that he was headed right toward Tucker.

Tucker, meanwhile, was still wracking his brains over the clues. What else could he do since he couldn't do anything else? He sighed as he stared downward at the words on his PDA-even though he really didn't need to by this time-as he had already inadvertently memorized the last two stanzas:

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

He frowned and he could feel a headache coming on. He just couldn't figure this last part out! Maybe his friends would have better luck below. He suddenly grunted with exasperation. He wanted to be of some help to Danny and Sam, but just sitting here made him feel completely useless! He turned off his PDA and lay back on the ground, staring up at nothing in the clear sky.

But it didn't help at all. He grew even more restless with the excruciating wait, sat up, and turned his PDA back on. And because of his frustration, he punched some buttons more violently than he normally would have and stared at the clues again. But the words stared right back as blankly as he did. Suddenly, he heard some static on his Fenton phones. He relaxed a little, and his eyes refocused on the words displayed on his PDA. He knew that it was his friends calling!

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Just after Danny and Sam had left Tucker and phased through the ground, Danny created a ball of ectoplasmic energy light with his left hand. Remaining intangible, he held his girlfriend close as they slowly descended.

Sam looked around them as they floated downward and was amazed at this totally different world. There were open brown pockets of space intermingled with multi-layers of different shades of black or brown sand and dirt. She immediately noticed and didn't mind the familiar smell of the moist earth. She could feel the richness and life within the darker soil penetrate her senses like percolating coffee, calming her and reminding her how content she always felt when growing her plants. She grinned in delight.

Occasionally, they phased through rocks. Some of them were unremarkable, their dull grays muting any remote interest in them. But many of the rocks contained small amounts of crystalline-like material which, whenever they would meet Danny's light, instantly and happily greeted the young couple with waves of their sparkling silent laughter. And whenever they threw their colorful kisses at Sam, she softly giggled when they brushed her cheek.

As they delved deeper into the terra, Sam noticed that it was getting colder. She clung closer to Danny for warmth and smiled when he drew her even closer. When he did, it knocked her backpack strap off her shoulder and she unconsciously righted it back on.

"This place is awesome!" she finally uttered, her eyes twinkling as brightly as the crystals in the rocks that winked at her as she and Danny passed them.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Danny said, delighted that she was pleased. "But wait! There's more!"

She quickly scanned the area around them as they continued their descent, and the pocket of spaces changed a little. Some were small, others larger. Still others were as large as mini-caverns and Danny stopped when he reached one. Sam immediately saw several crystalline, icicle-like stalactites burst into all the colors of the rainbow when Danny's light enveloped them.

"Beautiful!" Sam breathlessly said. She had never noticed this wonderful world. They had traveled underground before when they were on the Freakshow's reality gauntlet adventure, but they had moved through it all so quickly all the underground scenery had only been a blur.

"Yeah, but not as beautiful as you!" Danny couldn't help but say. He was so happy that he could finally share this with her.

"Smooth. But we're on a mission, you know!" she said with a slight laugh, embarrassed at his remark. But she gave him a quick hug to assure him that she was pleased.

"I know, but I always wanted to show you this to you!" he replied with a twinkle in his eye that rivaled the twinkle from all the crystalline material in this area.

"Well, maybe we'll be able to explore it later. But I do love it!" she said again, still awed. She definitely wanted to come back here with him once they had solved the mystery.

They resumed their downward direction and Sam could hear muffled sounds of rushing water. An instant later, they entered an area that obviously contained an underground stream.

"And this is how I travel if I have to go underground for any length of time. Makes seeing the route more clearly."

"Yeah, cool," she excitedly replied, hardly able to utter more. She was still awed with trying to take everything in. She remembered that they had used a similar path in the past, but now that she could see what they had missed, she once more regretted that they had traveled through it too quickly to fully appreciate its beauty.

Finally, they had floated only a few yards more when Danny turned, and headed straight up.

Sam looked at Danny, confused by his action.

He smiled when she saw her puzzled expression and said, "We should be under the old hospital now. I would have gone straight to it when we were up higher, but I wanted to show you all this first!"

She smiled back and gave him another squeeze.

The ghost teen slowed their ascent when he thought they were closer to their designation. Suddenly, they were obviously in a man-made space.

"Whoa!" Sam blurted out, not quite ready for the sudden change in scenery.

"Looks like we found the old hospital!" Danny exclaimed as he made both of them solid again. He placed Sam down and said, "Let's give Tucker a quick call to let him know we got here, OK?"

Sam nodded in reply and Danny quickly called his friend on the Fenton phones.

"Hello?" Tucker said when he heard the static clear.

Danny quickly told him that they had made it to the old hospital and had had no trouble finding it, thanks to him.

Tucker was pleased, envious and exasperated all at once. But he tried to sound encouraging. "And at least I'm doing something useful. I'm staring at the clues!"

Danny chuckled and assured his friend that they would contact him again with any more news.

Just as they hung up, Tucker sighed in disappointment again. What was the sense of staring at the clues when he wanted to be with his friends? He closed the scroll file and began to search for other programs on his PDA.

Ever since he had obtained this high-tech PDA from the future Skultech during the Poisoned Ghost War with Danny's evil future self, the beret-wearing teen had made investigating new programs on this PDA a second hobby. The fact was that the programs seemed endless and equally intriguing; he was certain that he wouldn't get bored with them for a very long time.

Suddenly, the boy brightened at the newest program he just discovered. He pounded excitedly on the commands when, suddenly, he noticed that the sun was momentarily blocked. He looked up to investigate, but then the sun was back out again. _"Funny",_ he thought to himself, scanning the sky. _"There're no clouds."_

But, of course, he hadn't noticed that it had been Bhuto flying over him that had shrouded the sun for that brief moment. The boy quickly dismissed the phenomenon with a shrug and returned to the program he was exploring. His eyes widened. It was one that could make the PDA emit an unusual energy ray. He looked at the code commands and gasped, "Hey, I can't believe that…that this is actually an invisibility power? And, man, I've never seen an invisibility power intensity with those parameters before!" He chuckled at his next thought. "Yeah, well, gee, I've never even knew that the ability to become invisible could be measured! Or even produced by anything else but ghosts. But then again, you never know what to expect with what Skultech came up with this PDA!" No longer exasperated, he smiled at his discovery and continued to experiment with it.

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After disconnecting with Tucker, Danny enlarged his energy orb and scanned the area. Old hospital equipment still lay scattered about, covered in years of decay and dirt that had filtered through the decrepit ceiling.

And just as Bhuto was passing over Tucker, Sam coughed on some dirt she had kicked up. She growled, "Man, they never even cleaned up this place before they built the new one. What a environmental nightmare!"

"Well, they probably just thought that all this stuff would make a great foundation for the new hospital," Danny said with a smirk, trying to calm his girlfriend.

She glared at him, but he chuckled again, "C'mon, Sam! Remember, we're on a mission!"

Before she could reply, he suddenly pointed behind her and said in excitement, "Speaking of 'foundation', what's that over there?"

Sam whipped around and scanned where he had pointed to. He enlarged his light for her to see. There, in the crumbling brick wall, a large dark block sat mutely beckoning them to draw nearer. The two teens crept closer. As they approached it, they could see that it had writing on it!

"That must be the cornerstone!" she shrieked in triumph. She maneuvered around the debris more quickly, with Danny floating closely behind her.

And just as they both drew near enough to examine their discovery, Danny's icy breath escaped from his mouth. But its warning was too late. Before the boy knew it, he was reeling from the blow that Bhuto gave him as the shadow ghost oozed into the area. Danny slammed into the opposite wall. He looked at his attacker and gasped. It was that same Spectre who was at Lake Shadesville and was working for Jiva! He barely reacted fast enough to avoid the red-and-black beam that Bhuto immediately thrust at him.

The teen instantly shot his own ice beams at the creature but the shadow ghost also successfully dodged them.

Sam immediately dove for cover behind some debris.

Bhuto counterattacked with another powerful seal and Danny impulsively sent a just as powerful ice beam, which immediately crashed head-on into the Spectre ray. The impact rendered the Spectre ray harmless, but forcibly threw Danny backwards. He crashed into a desk chair that was right next to Sam, smashing it to pieces.

The teen lay there momentarily stunned and Bhuto smiled as he charged up another powerful beam.

Suddenly, Libro sprang out of Sam's backpack and lunged straight at Bhuto. But the shadow ghost was ready, striking the book squarely with the large red-and-black beam he had meant for the boy. Libro shook violently from the jolt as a puff of smoke escaped from the impact area. He immediately fell to the floor with a hard thud.

"Libro!" Sam screamed at the sight.

Bhuto jerked toward the girl, instantly shooting another red-and-black beam at her.

By then, Danny had recovered and gasped at Bhuto's attack. He instinctually soared upward while rapidly emitting ice beams from both of his eyes and hands, which rendered the shadow ghost's rays useless. He sighed in mental relief now that Sam was safe, but the boy couldn't understand why the creature was able to shoot not only red-and-black beams, but also multiple ones.

But Danny's distraction was enough for Bhuto to quickly scoop up Libro just as he thrust a new red-and-black ray at the teen. Danny charged up an ice shield in return, but it quickly shattered under the powerful blow, propelling sharp ice shards at him and the shadow ghost. Danny quickly avoided any injury by becoming intangible, but Bhuto yelled in pain as a few of the ice daggers tore at his shadow arm, which caused him to drop Libro.

Now Sam saw her chance. She jumped from her hiding place toward her friend, grabbing one of the legs of the broken office chair as she did.

But before she could reach Libro, Bhuto, smiling evilly at her rash attack, shot her crude weapon out of her hands and then aimed at her once more.

This time, Danny soared boldly right at the Spectre while reaching for and turning on his Blazers. But before he could shoot, Bhuto unexpectedly turned back toward him, spreading both arms apart so that one of them was still ready in attack at Sam while the other was now aimed at Danny. The boy jerked to a stop in mid-air, fearful that if he attacked the shadow ghost now, he would shoot Sam.

Still looking and aiming at Danny, Bhuto sneered, "Ah-ha, Phantom, now I have you and the Book! Too bad for you that your flesh-pet has meaning to you! I would not have hesitated to sacrifice it. Nor would I hesitate now if you do not do as I command."

"Let her go! I will do as you say," the boy responded. He knew that the shadow ghost wasn't bluffing about his boast.

Just then, something that Bhuto didn't expect happened. He was riveted by a sting in the back of his head. He roared in pain and instinctively shot upward, trying to avoid it. He would never have guessed how clever the Phantom's 'flesh-pet' was, nor that during his distracted—and cocky—conversation with Danny, Sam had pulled out the Fenton wrist ray that she always kept in her boot and fired at the shadow ghost.

Now it was Danny's turn to act. He immediately soared to his girl, grabbed her, made both of them intangible, and phased through an ancient desk for cover. "Please stay here!" he hurriedly whispered to her. Not waiting for her to answer and remaining intangible, Danny phased through the ground.

Bhuto yelled in both pain and anger. He produced his claws and thrashed at the old furniture, searching in rage for the two teens. He was just about to slice at the old desk shielding Sam when Danny phased out of the ground immediately below the shadow ghost and slammed a hard retaliatory fist into him, which knocked the Spectre into the ceiling.

Bhuto gasped just as Danny immediately followed with a shot from his Blazers. Bhuto barely avoided the greenish-white ray, and sent another red-and-black seal back at the boy before Danny could counterattack.

Danny darted away but not quickly enough this time to keep the ray from grazing his right arm. He instantly yelled in pain. He grasped the small, burning wound and shuddered at how powerful the effects of the ray still were even though he only took a small brunt of it. He was glad he hadn't gotten more of it. But he didn't stop. He shot another ray from his Blazers at the Spectre.

Again, Bhuto just avoided the boy's newest shot. He was surprised that his blow to the boy hadn't stopped him. This was not a good omen. He suddenly thought that it was best if he just try to take the book for now. He quickly spied the book and swooped downward, grabbing the book just as he twisted his body violently back at the boy, firing another red-and-black seal as he did. But Bhuto's aim was wide with his desperation to escape and completely missed Danny.

Danny, in turn, tried to fire an ice beam at the fleeing shadow ghost but it was thin and also wild because of Danny's dizziness. He knew he couldn't go after Bhuto right now with how light-headed and weak he felt. But he was also glad that the wound wasn't bad enough to fully befuddle him. He felt only a little dazed. His head spun as he flew off balance down to Sam, who had seen everything that happened and had begun to cry, knowing that Bhuto had escaped with Libro in his possession.

The boy was distressed at seeing his girl cry. He reflexively took her into his arms and said, "I'm sorry, Sam! Uh, I think his beam hit me again, uhm, didn't they? Uhm, I really tried to stop him, but I can't go after him right now. I'm too dizzy and I can't think straight."

"I know you tried!" she answered between her sobs. "It's just that I'm afraid for Libro. Why do they want him?"

"I don't know," the boy begun, before another blurry thought struck him, "But, uhm, I just thought of something that Sombre sorta said. Or was it Johnny 13?" He shook his head, trying to clear it. It didn't matter who said it. He continued, trying to ignore his haziness. "But it was about a book..A strange book that, uh, that the Spectre rebels used to fight Varjo and his army. Do you think that has something to do with it?"

Sam blinked through her tears at him. She didn't recall that bit of information. But, of course, she hadn't heard it all then when Sombre was telling his story to them because her Fenton phones weren't working very well at the time. Her boyfriend must be wrong. After all, he had been wounded again, which would explain why he wasn't making any sense. She looked at his eyes. They weren't focusing well, but he didn't seem that confused. What if he was right? She immediately thought the worse and blurted out, "Then that means they want to destroy him!" She began to sob again. Danny held her tighter. To see her this distressedl really shook him up. His mind began to rapidly clear.

He pulled her gently away, looked assuredly into her eyes, and even though his mind was still slightly muddled, pressed on, "I don't think so, Sam. If they did, then I think Bhuto…" He startled when the name of the ghost riveted through him. He blurted out, "That's right! His name is…Bhuto, isn't it? Yes, I'm sure it is! Uh, well, I think Bhuto would have all ready destroyed Libro since he had the chance, instead of taking him. But I don't know why else they would want him." He gave her another hug; and then pulling away from her again, he looked her right in the eyes and added, "I promise I'll go get him back when I feel better, OK?" He drew her nearer once more and held her tight. She clung back and stopped crying.

"Hey, you guys, what's happening?" They finally heard Tucker say over his Fenton phones. It had been quite a while since they had last called him.

"Lots!" Danny replied, and then added, "Give us a minute, OK?"

"OK," Tucker worriedly said.

Danny looked at Sam, who was brushing away her tears. She nodded slightly, muttering, "I'm alright. Let's get back to Tucker."

Her boyfriend wrapped his arm firmly around her waist, made them both intangible and shot upward. As they phased through the old hospital and hurried into the underground terrain, Sam was still too upset to care that the underground paradise passed by her in a blur.

They broke through the surface in no time. They immediately became solid and flew to Tucker, not hesitating to tell him what had happened. Their friend gasped at the news.

"And as soon as get my strength back, I'm going after him!" Danny vowed, reflexively drawing his hand up to his forehead again. He still felt a little woozy.

"But exactly where are the Spectre?" Tucker asked.

Danny answered, "I don't know. But I know who can help me to find them! I'm going to see Frostbite and ask him if I can borrow the Infi-Map. But in the meantime…," He shook his head trying to shake the dizziness away. "…I'm going to need a 'time out'."

Sam and Tucker could see from his still slightly unfocused eyes that their friend was right. But they were glad that he didn't seem as confused by this attack like the others.

They headed home.

And as soon as Danny had gotten to his house, he went straight to bed and fell asleep a lot quicker than he usually did.


	39. Chapter 39 Taking Off

**A/N: Revving up, here! Hope you're still with me. Are ya clear what's happened so far? If not, I'll spill the beans: The trio arrived at the hospital. Danny and Sam delved down underground, leaving a potentially phobic Tucker on the surface. Tucker was phobic, of course, and he was upset that he couldn't be with his friends, but then he discovered a new program on his futuristic PDA that he had 'inherited' from Skultech. In the meantime, Sam and Danny took a small detour, as Danny wanted to show his girl an underground paradise. In the meantime, Bhuto had found at least Danny and Sam, and in the midst of a fight with Danny, injured Danny and captured Libro. Bhuto was able to escape, as Danny was in no condition to go after him at the moment. But Danny was determined to go after the shadow ghost once he was feeling better. And speaking of which, feeling better now? Now, here is Chapter 39, and, of course, IDNOAC!. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 39—Taking Off

Danny awoke, but he was not fully rested. He knew he had had another nightmare because he was still perspiring. The nightmare seemed full of whispers. And the whispers were definitely feminine. But he couldn't remember it all. He grabbed his arm. It was totally healed. He was relieved that he seemed to have completely recovered from Bhuto's attack. And he was still thankful that he hadn't gotten the full brunt of it. He yawned as he stretched before getting out of bed. He looked at the alarm clock. It was six in the morning.

"_Maybe my body is becoming a morning one_!" he thought with a chuckle, forgetting the bad dream. "But then, that'll just give me more time to get the Infi-Map and find out where Libro is." He suddenly frowned in worry. He was just as upset about his capture as Sam was. And he didn't think it was odd at all that he cared what happened to a 'book'. Libro was more than that. He was a good friend, and the book had become very good friends with all of them. And Libro had done more than his share in helping them, especially Danny. Danny jolted fully awake with that thought. Even after all Libro had done for him, Danny knew Libro wouldn't hesitate to do his best to help _him again _if Danny were the one captured. Not that Danny ever had any doubts of going. The boy wouldn't let his friend stay in danger if he could help it. But recognizing how much of a friend Libro was to him just solidified his convictions to rescue him.

Thinking of Libro then made him think of Sam. He unexpectedly recalled their last serious conversation about Libro before their friend had been taken by Bhuto. If he didn't go after Libro, he knew **she **would. And he couldn't let her take that risk. Suddenly, he surprised himself with his next thought. About their 'code word'. But then he frowned in doubt. Maybe having that 'code word' was lame. He yawned again and brushed it off. It would have to do for now.

The boy got ready quickly and headed downstairs. His mother was already there cooking breakfast.

"Morning, Mom," Danny said with another yawn.

Hello, Sweetie. You're up early. Ready for breakfast?" she casually replied, turning another pancake over. Her son's erratic comings and goings had become as routine as flipping that pancake. But her son also didn't know that she had peeked in his room soon after he had come home and sighed with relief when she saw him.

"Sure, thanks, Mom," he said as he sat down at the table. "I'm starved! I was too exhausted to eat dinner when I got home last night."

She knew that, but said instead, "How is your mystery coming along?" She placed a plate of pancakes and eggs in front of him.

"Well, I guess that it's coming along as well as I could expect. But we still haven't figured everything out yet." He didn't want to go into details again, as that would mean telling her about the 'getting zapped' part. But thinking about what he just said— the "haven't figured everything out yet" part—he thought of Sam and their code word again. After taking a large bite of some pancakes, he blurted out, "Uh, Mom, how do you and Dad know that you're getting upset with each other?"

Maddie stopped cooking for a second. Why did teenagers ask such personal, out-of-the-blue questions right when everyone else around them wasn't ready? But she knew she had to answer the question carefully.

"Well, Sweetie, your father hardly ever gets mad. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body."

Her son, taking another bite of his eggs, nodded in agreement.

"And as to the times when I have gotten upset?" She continued, though she was really talking to herself. Usually her husband was quite clueless unless he got hit right over the head. "Well, you know how your father is. He doesn't ever want to think I would be upset with him. But I have one sure-fire way to make it clear to him that I'm not happy with him."

Danny brightened at her remark. He put down his fork and listened intently. "Uhm, what's that, Mom?"

"I don't give him anything to eat!"

Danny laughed. Maybe Sam and his 'code word' idea wasn't such a lame one after all.

"Well, I can see that you hardly ever get angry at him!" Danny quipped and they both laughed right away at what he meant.

Danny resumed his eating and said no more.

Maddie, meanwhile, silently sighed in relief. "_That was easy_," she thought as she finished her cooking.

After Danny was through with his breakfast, he briefly told his mother of his plans. He also told her how great the Blazers and Ghost Gabberrettes worked; and she seemed pleased, hiding her concern that he had to actually _use_ the Blazers. He, of course, didn't tell her about Libro or his plans to look for the Spectre's land in order not to worry her. But he promised he would be careful.

His mother, of course, was worried, but she didn't say anything to let him know that. She truly understood his reasons and trusted him.

He gave her a hug before turning into Phantom and heading to the basement. Before he entered the portal, he called Sam.

"Hello?" she barely uttered. He knew he had woken her up.

"Good morning, beautiful!" he teased. He smiled even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"Nice try!" she quipped back with a yawn. "But I will let it slide that you woke me up too early because I want to go with you to get Libro."

This time Danny's tone was more serious. "Sam, please. I really don't want you to go this time. Or even Tucker for that matter. I've never been to the Spectre…uh, Realm… and so I have to be extra careful. Besides, I have my Blazers and then when I get him, I'll have Libro to help. And maybe I can use the rings to help if I need them." He paused. He didn't know why he said that last comment, or why he suddenly knew that the Spectre land was called a 'realm', but he knew that they were true.

"But Danny," she began to protest, waking up completely.

"No, Sam, please!" he insisted. "You said we should talk about things right away if something bothers us, and I don't want to go to the Spectre Realm if you want to go, too. It's going to be harsh and dangerous." Again he paused. He **knew** this, too, was true.

Sam had also paused, also wondering why he was so definite about what to expect. But she didn't question him. So many strange things had happened to him. Then with disappointment in her voice, she said, "OK, Danny. If you say it's not a good place to be, I believe you. But I still don't like that I can't go. So, you will, of course, be careful?"

"You know I will," he assured her. "And you know I'm going to go to see Frostbite first to get the Infi-Map. But maybe you and Tucker can work on the clues while I'm gone. That will give you both something to do until I come back. OK?"

"But how can we do that without you phasing us into the old hospital?" she objected.

"Tucker can use his PDA to open a portal," he replied.

"Oh, yeah, I knew that," she sheepishly said.

They both paused, not wanting to be the first to hang up.

"I'll be back as soon as I can with Libro. OK?" Danny finally said.

"OK, but I'm still not happy about it," she quietly said. "But I know that if anyone could rescue Libro, it would definitely be you."

"Thanks, Sam," he softly replied, touched by her comment. It meant everything to him. "I'll call you as soon as I get back."

"Alright," she said with a hush. "And you know…"

But he didn't give her time to say what was really on her mind, "Yeah, I'll be careful!"

He hung up, now determined in his new mission. He produced his claws and ripped a hole in the dimension. Then he immediately jumped into the portal, and headed to the Far Frozen.

Sam, however, could not go back to sleep. She called Tucker. She didn't want to feel totally helpless with the situation.

"Hello?" a barely audible voice said.

"Tucker, is that you? It's me, Sam!"

"Uh, huh?" he said, sort of answering her first question with a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock."

"And you want to talk to me before daylight, why?" he barely uttered.

"Danny's gone to the Ghost Zone to find Libro and he said it was best if we didn't go!" she quickly replied.

Tucker was jolted awake at that bit of information. He pulled himself up to a sitting position, retrieved his glasses and said, "Why didn't he want us to go?"

"Because he said that it's a very harsh and dangerous place to go to."

"How does he know that?" he asked.

"I don't know. He just knew it somehow. You know all the crazy stuff that's happened to him every time he gets zapped by those things!" she replied, getting a little annoyed not with Tucker, but because she was just talking and not doing something. "Anyhow, he went to get the Infi-Map from Frostbite first. Then he was going to find the Spectre. Darn it! I shouldn't have let him talk me out of going with him! At least he knew I wasn't happy at all that he didn't want us to go!"

"But that hasn't stopped us before," he replied.

"Yeah, I know. But he insisted," she answered.

"That hasn't stopped us before."

"You already said that," she pointed out, thinking he was still groggy.

"Yeah, I know," he quipped back.

But then, Sam knew by the tone of his voice that he wasn't repeating himself. He was telling her that they needed to do something. She smiled. "But before we go, Danny wants us to work on that mystery. And you know what? I really have to agree. I have a feeling that it's important that we solve it soon!"

"But we can't," Tucker countered.

"Why? I will help you get through going to the 'wellness place'," she assured him. She purposely didn't use the word 'hospital'.

"No, because we need Danny to get into the old, er, 'wellness place'." He also purposely avoided using that word. But before Sam could comment, Tucker blurted out his next thought, "Hey, wait a minute! I can create a portal and then we can easily get there!"

Sam smiled at his determination and quick mind. "How soon can you get over here?"

"Give me twenty minutes. I'd be there sooner, but you know that I'll need most of that time to eat!"

They both agreed and hurried to get ready.


	40. Chapter 40 Closing the Gap

**A/N: Still going strong! Can you feel the excitement? I can! And here's what happened so far: Sombre and now Libro have been captured by the Spectre. Danny is on his way to the Far Frozen to get the Infi-Map from Frostbite in order to find the Spectre and rescue Libro. He, of course, doesn't know that Sombre has also been captured and Johnny 13 has been attacked. Johnny 13 had been left cowering in his confused thoughts. Now, Sam and Tucker have decided to not only go after Danny when they can, but also work on the mystery. Now, IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 40. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 40—Closing the Gap

In the meantime, Johnny 13 had finally started to come out of his stupor. Since the amulet's power increased the effects of the black Spectre seal rays, it had taken the ghost biker a very long time to recover from their effects. However, he had no idea he had been saved from **permanent** injury by his own ring.

"Uh, w-where am I?" he stammered, reflexively putting his hand up to his head. He scanned his surroundings and at first couldn't understand why he was so wedged into this corner of his lair. Suddenly, his mind fully cleared; and as his memory came into sharper focus, he jolted at his next thought. "The Spectre!" he cried, bolting upward.

He quickly checked himself over before he flew throughout the lair, searching frantically. "Sombre! He's gone! They must have taken him! Now what am I gonna do?" He looked down at his ring, hesitant to use it. "But I need help," he found himself saying. His next thought, of course, was that of Danny Phantom. "Well, at least you're right after all, little man," he conceded, drawing in his lower lip. "The time is **now**!"

He hopped on his bike, and looked in bewilderment at Kitty's scarf. He shrugged it off as he pulled her scarf off and let it fall to the ground. Then he revved his bike up and tore out of the lair, heading toward where he knew he would find the boy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Tucker met up with Sam at her house. He didn't even have time to knock when she opened the door.

Stepping out quickly, she said in a rather demanding voice, "What took you so long?"

But before her friend could offer his defense of actually being **earlier **than the twenty minutes he asked her for, they both jolted at the nearby noise of a very loud motorcycle. They immediately recognized its unique sound. They searched for its location just as it popped out of one of the many mysterious and random portals that appeared periodically.

Sam and Tucker looked at each other with the same thought. What was **he** doing here? The two teens didn't need any prompting from each other. "Johnny 13!" they yelled when they spied the biker speed in the opposite direction. They bolted after him, screaming "Johnny 13!" "Dude!" as they ran.

The ghost biker thought he had heard his name and turned around. He saw Sam and Tucker running after him. He stopped, turned his bike around and headed directly toward the two humans.

As he approached them, he said, "Am I glad to see you!"

"Huh?" Sam and Tucker said in unison.

Without any further hesitation, Johnny hoarsely said, "Sombre's been captured by the Spectre!"

"What?" Sam and Tucker said in unison once again. They couldn't believe what he had just said.

"Hop on and tell me where we can go to talk!" he hurriedly added.

Sam quickly answered, "We're right by my house! We can go there! But you might want to be invisible while you're there and you gotta leave your bike outside."

"OK," Johnny 13 replied as he turned his bike around and slowly followed the teens as they dashed back to the girl's home.

When they got there, he turned off his bike, turning invisible as he followed the two teens. They headed to Sam's room and the biker ghost rematerialized just as he entered her room. "Uh, cool pad," he commented as he looked around Sam's room. "Very spooky."

"Well, yeah, thanks," Sam uttered, but immediately switched gears. "So what happened?"

Looking over her shoulder, half-expecting someone, Johnny nervously replied, "Uh, where's your leader?"

"Friend!" Sam and Tucker both said with emphasis and irritation.

"Uh, yeah. But where is he?" the biker asked again.

"He's gone on an errand," Sam immediately replied, giving a silent look to Tucker that definitely told her friend not to say any more. Even though she believed the sincerity of the biker ghost, she still didn't totally trust him.

Johnny 13 blinked. He hadn't expected this. What was he supposed to do now? But before he could comment on it, Sam said, "So, tell us what happened. Maybe we can help you and you can help us."

"Uh-h," he stammered, hesitating. But then he scrunched his face with his firm decision. He decided to spill it. He told them all about the surprise attack, how he was rendered helpless by the black-and-red Spectre rays, and his discovery that Sombre was missing.

Sam and Tucker listened intensely, their eyes widening with every detail. After Johnny 13 was through, all three just looked at each other, momentarily lost for words...

Sam finally said, "This is definitely getting way more serious. And we haven't got a clue on how to find the Spectre. Unless you do, Johnny?

The biker sadly shook his head. "All I know is that they are very, very far away."

Tucker scrunched up his face with worry and added, "Well, we'll have to figure that out when we have to. Uhm, and since we're kinda stuck anyway, don't you think it would be a good idea that we work on solving that mystery?"

"How?" Johnny 13 begged the question. He was too upset to remember that the teens had the original scroll.

"Well, we were going to try to figure out about the last part of the riddle. In fact, we were going to the wellness place just as you arrived," Sam began.

"Wellness place?" Johnny 13 asked with a confused look on his face. He didn't remember that being part of the original scroll that they had told him and Sombre about. But, of course, he couldn't have known that the trio had found another scroll.

Sam cleared her voice when she saw his face and remarked, "Uh, yeah. We found another scroll. And we have a reason for that 'wellness place' thing. But just trust us, OK?"

Johnny nodded but was still confused. "But what about the little man?" he again asked about Danny.

"He wanted us to work on solving the riddle while he went on his errand," Sam quickly replied.

Johnny 13 nodded in reply; he wasn't satisfied with the answer, but had no other choice but to accept it for now. "OK, so let's hop on my bike and we'll be there in a jiffy."

Sam and Tucker looked at each other and knew by each of their expressions that they were going to have to trust the ghost after all.

"All right! Let's go!" Sam said, and they all quickly headed downstairs and jumped behind the ghost biker...

As they sped to the hospital, the humans felt a thrilling rush as the surroundings raced by in a blur. The feeling didn't last, however, as they were at their designation in no time.

They hopped off, and Tucker led them to the same remote area that Danny and Sam had first entered the old hospital. When they got there, Tucker whipped out his trusty futuristic PDA and began to program it.

"Uh, what's he doing?" Johnny 13 said with both awe and concern.

"Making a portal," the boy casually said as he kept punching on the keys.

"Hey, not that that's not totally cool, dude, and I, uh, don't want to cramp your style, but you don't want to open a portal here!"

"Why not?" Sam asked with a worried frown; and Tucker stopped punching and looked up at the biker ghost.

Johnny 13 answered with an even more worried scowl. "Because the area in the Ghost Zone surrounding this place is very dangerous. Some of the nastiest ghosts come out from right here."

Tucker swallowed hard.

"Then what are we going to do?" Sam wailed. She could feel desperation creeping up her spine.

"I can phase us all in," the biker volunteered.

Sam and Tucker blinked in embarrassment. Of course they knew that!

Sam went over to Tucker. Placing her hand gently on his shoulder, she softly assured him. "I promise I'll be right here next to you the whole time!"

Tucker swallowed hard again, but managed a weak smile, trying to assure her. "I'll be all right, Sam. Somehow I'm not afraid. We have to help our friends!"

"Have I ever told you that you are the best?" she said, giving him a quick hug.

He smiled in embarrassment this time. "Yeah, but it's always good to hear it again!" He then turned to the biker and said for the both of them, "OK, Johnny, we're ready. And the old foundation is directly below us."

But the boy was surprised at the biker's response. Johnny 13 looked almost panicked. "But don't you have the scroll, uh, I mean, scrolls?"

"Yes, they're right here!" Tucker answered as he patted his PDA. "But we only need the stuff on the last one we found."

"Man, I'm never calling you 'side-kicks' again!" he blurted out. He was truly impressed with how all-together these two young humans were.

"Uh, thanks, I think," Tucker uttered and Sam just smirked.

Johnny 13 extended his hands to the two teens and said, "OK, I think you know what to do!"

Sam and Tucker obliged him and before they knew it, they were in the dark, dank remnants of the old hospital.

"I wish Danny was here!" Sam moaned, suddenly feeling as if the total darkness would suck her confidence right out of her.

But she shielded her eyes and her gloom lifted when Tucker's PDA lit up the area.

"Nice to have light when you need it, and I bet you love my PDA as much as I do now, huh, Sam?" her bespectacled friend weakly smirked, trying to ignore the sweat that had already begun to form on his brow when he spied the old hospital equipment.

Sam saw how nervous he was and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she gave him an encouraging smile, which he weakly returned before looking back at his PDA. "W-Well, h-here are the clues again," he began, stammering. But then trying to steel his trembling hand, he continued,

"But in darkness b'low  
The wellness place  
In cornerstone show  
No hint, no trace  
But the only true case  
The secret will b'stow."

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

"'Prophesy'? Isn't it supposed to be '**Prophecy**'?" Johnny 13 asked after listening to the riddle.

"Yeah, we thought so too, until we got these new clues. Must have been handed down wrong by the Spectre. You know how those things can happen," Tucker commented, still trying to ignore the mounting perspiration on his forehead while trying to control his increasing breathing.

The ghost just blinked in bewilderment.

"The cornerstone's over there," Sam said, interrupting and pointing toward the far corner. "Danny and I found it just before we got attacked by that shadow ghost."

Johnny 13, instantly thinking of his friend, reeled with that piece of information. Sam caught his reaction, but since she still didn't trust him enough to reveal everything, only added, "Uh, long story. Short version: We got attacked by a shadow ghost. But it wasn't Sombre, so don't worry. And Danny went to find a friend to help. And, of course, we're down here to solve the mystery."

The biker ghost, though still concerned, felt it best not to question her further. He nodded to her, acknowledging her 'explanation'.

Without saying any other words and guided by Tucker's light, the two teens went right to the cornerstone with the ghost right on their heels. They felt all around the cornerstone, their fingers gliding over the etched wording. But they found no latch.

"Now what?" Tucker moaned, wiping off his brow with his sleeve.

Pounding on the cornerstone with her fists, Sam said through her gritted teeth, "This has got to be it!" She wasn't going to give up yet. She continued, "Tucker, could you please bring you light closer? I want to take a closer look."

He obliged her, and swallowing the fear that was now creeping up his spine, wiped off his forehead again. Along with Johnny 13, he looked intensely on what she was doing.

She scrutinized the area, but she couldn't find a thing. She was just about to give up when she notice a small crack in the stone. But it did not look random. She followed it with her eyes and one of her fingers, plowing the dirt away as she did. It was after that when she finally saw the faint yet straight rectangular outline and a strange indentation near it. Instinctually, she pushed on the indentation with her finger and a large rectangular door popped open.

All three gasped as the loud noise it made echoed throughout the room.

But this hiding place for the clues was definitely odder than the other two they had found. Instead of containing one small box that had kept the other individual scrolls, the compartment held three cases. But two of the small chests were as ornate as the other ones that had held the other scrolls, and the last one was as plain as plain could be.

"Now what?" Johnny 13 blurted out with an anxious scowl.

Sam didn't answer right away and frowned in concentration.

Tucker also frowned, trying to figure it all out and glanced at the clues still displayed on his PDA's screen. He wiped the sweat out from under his glasses and in an effort to slow his breathing down, bit his lower lip. Suddenly, all the staring he had done on the clues the previous time Danny and Sam were down here without him riveted through Tucker's mind. "We need to take the plain one!" he blurted out. "It's the answer to the clue!"

Sam and the biker looked at him, not catching his drift.

He pressed on, getting more excited as he spoke, "'No hint, no trace, but the only true case the secret will bestow'. The right case has no ornaments on it!"

"But what about the other two?" Johnny 13 asked. He still wasn't convinced.

"I don't know, but it might be a trick or something?" the boy offered, biting his lower lip again. He turned and looked to Sam.

Sam thought a moment and remarked, "I think that's a very good guess, Tucker. Let's go with it, OK?" She motioned for him to do the honors of picking up the chest.

Tucker smiled at her approval. "OK, here goes nothing!" He reached in, and hoping that no one noticed his trembling hand, grabbed the plain case.

But much to Sam and Tucker's utter surprise, Johnny 13 grabbed the most ornate chest immediately afterward. Instantly, the ground beneath them began to shake—violently!

"What's happening?" Tucker yelled, his eyes widening with panic as he started to lose his balance.

Pieces from the old hospital's ceiling began to rain upon them as the tremor increased. The old hospital equipment seemed to rattle to life, as the quaking goaded them to move unnaturally about the room.

"Get us out of here, Johnny!" Sam screamed just as she pulled Tucker out of the line of fire of a large piece of debris that had just fallen. Her friend almost dropped the case with her jolt, but he tightened his grip around it.

The biker didn't dare question her. He grabbed each of the humans, turned them all intangible, and soared upward and out of the area, just as what was left of the old hospital totally collapsed.

When they reached the surface right at the least used area of the back of the hospital, both Sam and Tucker forcefully yanked their hands from Johnny 13.

As the teens rematerialized, Sam turned in anger to Johnny 13 and defiantly yelled, "Why did you do that? Tucker was right! The other two chests must have been booby-trapped by that Spectre Whizard to keep anyone away from the real clue!" She tried to both squelch her fearful reaction to their narrow escape and catch her breath.

Pointing an accusatory finger at the biker ghost, Tucker, still both scared and furious, panted, "Yeah, you almost made us join all those nasty ghosts that come out of the hospital!"

The ghost stood stunned as the fuming teens glared at him. He had thought they had been wrong, but when he looked down at the chest in his hand, he definitely knew _he_ had screwed up. The beautiful little box was crumbling, and as its ashes flew out his hand, he could see that there was nothing in it.

He looked back at the two humans. Even though they were still mad, their breathing had slowed. Lowering his eyes in resignation, he muttered, "Uhm, all right. I screwed up!"

"Big time!" Tucker added, his voice still ringing with anger. But then he startled, suddenly realizing something was odd about himself. He was no longer trembling as he had inside the old hospital. And his brow was totally dry. He looked around. He was so close to the hospital, he could easily reach out and touch one its outward walls. Could it be?...

But Johnny 13 interrupted his thoughts. "It's just that I'm so worried about my friend, I didn't think! I just know he's in trouble, big trouble!" The biker sadly said, looking at them with pleading eyes.

That was enough to calm the teens, and even to make them totally understand. They, too, were worried about their two friends and had done their share of reckless behavior in the past. They looked at each other. Then they looked sympathetically at the ghost, and Sam spoke for the both of them, "All right. We're not hurt or anything. And we sorta understand. We're worried, too. Danny and Libro might also be in trouble!"

Johnny 13's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?" he uttered.

Sam and Tucker somehow knew they could trust him now. They quickly explained everything that had happened since the last time they had met with him and Sombre, including where Danny was now heading. As their story unfolded, his eyes widened even further in awe when they told him about Libro.

"That must be the book that I told you about! The one that helped me cure Sombre!" the biker said with an astonished hush.

Sam and Tucker both nodded in silence to him, confirming his statement.

"Man, this whole thing is getting crazier at each passing minute! And the little man is going to the Far Frozen? Don't know where that is, but I've heard it's a very scary place in itself," the ghost said. He paused.

Tucker was about to make a comment, when Johnny added, "But I know now that it's definitely the time to find out about the Omen!"

When he said that, Sam excitedly replied, "That's right! Tucker, where is the little chest?"

Tucker opened his still clutched hand. He still had it!

And as Sam and Johnny 13 looked eagerly on, the boy grabbed the top and slowly opened its lid.


	41. Chapter 41 Answers at the Far Frozen

**A/N: Is everything coming together for ya? Have you solved the mystery yet? Well, hold on, 'cause here is Chapter 41 comin' at ya! And IDNOAC! Enjoy! **

**Summary so far: Sombre and now Libro have been captured by the Spectre. Danny is on his way to the Far Frozen to get the Infi-Map from Frostbite in order to find the Spectre and rescue Libro. He, of course, doesn't know that Sombre had also been captured and Johnny 13 had been attacked. Johnny 13 had recovered from his attack and went searching for Danny for help, only to find Sam and Tucker, who are on their way to try to find solve the clues. Together—after a major screw up of Johnny 13—recover the last chest in the mystery. **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 41—Answers at the Far Frozen

Immediately after entering the ghost zone through the make-shift portal he had made with his wulf claws, Danny poured on all his speed, easily reaching supersonic flight as he headed toward the Far Frozen.

He was pleased when he got there faster than he had thought he would. He slowed his flight once he passed the border. He gave a friendly wave to the scouts who ever-guarded the borders of that frozen land and smiled as he watched one the scouts immediately leave. He knew that by the time he got to Frostbite, the ice creature leader would have been already informed of the boy's presence.

He was at home in this frigid land, especially now that he could fully control his ice powers. The cold, crisp air that playfully pinched his cheeks as he flew on actually soothed his mind as he thought of the many things that had happened since he first met the Spectre during that football game.

Finally, he spied his large friend grinning gleefully in the near distance. Danny immediately knew it was Frostbite as the leader of the ice creatures waved him on. The boy increased his speed, a large grin on his face. Reaching the ice leader, Danny hugged him and quickly caught his breath when his friend hugged back. It had been a long time since they had seen each other.

"It's so good to see you, Frostbite!" Danny beamed, as he tried to gracefully pry himself from Frostbite's suffocating embrace.

"And it is also for me, Great One!" the ice creature boomed, placing his arm around his friend's shoulder, almost completely enveloping his young friend again as he led him to one of the caves. When they arrived inside the cave, Frostbite added, "And what can I please you with this time, O Great One?"

Danny chuckled a bit. "You know, you don't have to call me that. "Danny" would be just fine. Besides, I don't deserve that title. I've done my share of not-too-great things.

Frostbite smiled. He knew of his friend's past errors, but the boy's successes far outweighed them. He replied, "As you wish, Great-, uh, Danny! But in our eyes, you will always be a hero!"

"And it is also for me as far as you are concerned," Danny said, purposely speaking in the exact phrase that Frostbite had used when they first met.

They both smiled in understanding. They felt they were a little bit of a hero to each other.

Frostbite repeated, "And so, how may I please you?"

"If I can, may I please borrow the Infi-Map?"

"Your command is my pleasure!" Frostbite answered. "But might I inquire why you need it?"

"Yes, you may!" Danny said half-seriously. No matter what he said to Frostbite, his friend would always treat him as royalty. "I need to find the Spectre and…."

"The Spectre!" Frostbite gasped, shuddering slightly in fear.

Danny startled at his friend's response. He didn't think that anything frightened Frostbite.

"You know about them?" he finally asked.

"Indeed we do! We Ice Creatures and the Spectre were mortal enemies at one time in our histories. In fact, we were at war with them for what you would call 'centuries'. They attacked us mercilessly and even though that terrible war united our Far Frozen folk beyond imagination, we could not withstand their onslaught. Though we prevailed, hoping for victory, we were about to be defeated. But then, a strange leader came into their midst…."

"Ombre?" Danny interrupted. "I already know a lot about him!"

Frostbite's eyes widened in wonder at Danny's announcement and he lapsed in his manner with his answer, "Yes, that is correct, O Great One!"

But Danny didn't correct him for using that title again. He wanted to know more.

"Then you know Ombre brought stability and peace to the Spectre?" The ice beast inquired.

Danny nodded, and Frostbite continued, "And that the war between our two races was stopped by him?"

"No, I didn't know that part," Danny answered, then blurted out a sudden thought. "Then why aren't you fighting now?"

"We had been at peace since the rule of Ombre. Why we have not fought with each other since the horrible rules of Varjo and Phasma, I cannot explain. Perhaps, they are too much involved in their own matters. Or perhaps it's because of Ombre himself. He did stop the war by making the Spectre race believe fighting with our kind would bring all sorts of bad omens for them. Perhaps they still believe it. But that does not concern us unless they choose to renew their hostilities. We, of course, hope and pray that they do not."

"Wow…" Danny mumbled, "And just when I thought all this couldn't get more complicated. I mean, not only does Johnny 13 and Shadow, or rather, Sombre, have a history with the Spectre, but now you guys do, too?"

Frostbite jolted at the boy's mention of the name 'Sombre'. "Sombre? You mean one of the two sons of Ombre? But I was sure they both had been killed by Penelope Spectra and Varjo!"

It was Danny's turn to jolt at his friend's words. "Whoa, wait. Hold on. What does Spectra have to do with any of this?"

"You do not know, Great One? Penelope Spectra is a Spectre. But not just any common Spectre; she was once a Spectre queen. Her name use to be Esprit."

"WHAT?" Danny exclaimed, truly shocked.

Frostbite frowned at the teen's surprise. "I see you still have not been told everything. Alright. Allow me start this tale from its beginning so you may understand."

His friend nodded in agreement, and then politely listened as Frostbite began to tell him the entire story of the Spectre. But he told him more than what Johnny 13 and Sombre had. He told him about the nature of the Spectre, the rise and fall of Ombre, the capture and escape of his sons, Spectra's role in the conflict, and the loss of Ombre and his sons. In short, the teenager found out everything there was to know about the Spectre race, including what he didn't know, which was what Phasma had told Jiva about their own past.

The entire time, Danny sat up straight, paying close attention to every word his friend said. But as Frostbite mentioned a book that had actually participated in the rebel's revolt against Varjo after Ombre had been sent into the oblivion, the boy gasped in surprise. But the ice creature ignored his reaction and continued, revealing to the teen how the book had mysteriously disappeared when it was subdued by the amulet.

Danny **had** to interrupt now, remembering that Sombre, too, had mentioned a book. "What book? What did it look like?"

Frostbite was surprised how interested the boy was in this particular footnote. "It was small, brown in color and relatively ornate. And it…."

But Danny interrupted him again with a little more excitement this time. "And I bet that the book was the same one that Clockwork gave Sam during the Poisoned Ghost War!"

"Why, you are correct, my friend! I remember it all! As you well know, our people never were affected by the time rift. Our land and the land of the Spectre, though very different, are very much alike. We are not governed by the same elements and dimensions as other ghosts."

Danny nodded, confirming what his friend just said. He had quickly found this out after checking on his friend after the Poisoned Ghost War.

"But as I was saying, my friend, that indeed it was the very same book. But it is more than a book on ghostly cures."

"Yeah, I know…" Danny said, remembering all the power that Libro had. But Danny stopped himself. He startled at what Frostbite might have been alluding to. "What do you mean? I know it, uhm, he, is powerful, and Johnny 13 did say he used him to cure Sombre, and…

Frostbite arched up one of his eyebrows in response but said nothing.

Danny noticed the change on Frostbite's face and suddenly knew why. He chuckled a bit. "Oh, yeah, I forgot to explain about Sombre to you! Sombre **is** alive! And he's in the Ghost Zone now. He lives with Johnny 13 and Johnny 13 used Libro…the book, that is,….uh, we call the book 'Libro', ya know…and Libro's a 'he', and..." He cleared his voice when he saw the puzzled look on Frostbite's face and continued, "Anyhow, Johnny 13 used, uhm, Libro to cure Sombre and he—Libro, that is—has been with us for a while and he's helped us a lot….And Sombre did mention about using a book to fight in the war against Varjo. But they didn't give any details. Is it the same one? And how did that happen?"

Frostbite smirked when he finally understood what Danny had been saying. "Indeed, the book has a much deeper history!"

"So it _**is**_ the same one? And it does? What is it?" Danny asked, his heart increasing a little in anticipation.

Frostbite didn't answer all of his young friend's questions right away. He continued, "The book was very interested in taking an active role in the war between the two great human ghosts who were fighting for control of the throne of the Spectre."

"He did?...uh, Why?" Danny pressed on, squirming a little with excitement. But then he was confused. "Exactly when did the book get involved?"

"After Ombre was defeated."

Danny looked at him, now completely puzzled. "I don't understand. You said that the two great human ghosts were fighting for control of the Spectre throne, but then Ombre was defeated. Which means he was already poisoned by the black shadow decay and phased into the oblivion _**before**_ the book came to fight with the rebels. So how could the book still be involved in a fight between Varjo and Ombre?"

Frostbite didn't answer him at first. He was amused by his friend's wrestling face as he tried to sort out all the information from before and what Frostbite was telling him now. The ice beast finally said, "Because Ombre did not go into the oblivion."

Then the boy startled at the sudden flood of thoughts about Libro. All the things about Libro suddenly came together. One thought in particular came to the teen's mind: just how was it that Libro was so keenly knowledgeable about how to fight the Spectre?

And then Danny knew. "Libro! I mean the BOOK! He's….he's OMBRE!"

Frostbite smiled at his friend's deduction.

"But how?" Danny blurted out.

Frostbite was quick to explain. "It is the truth that Ombre was infected by the black shadow decay. Even though he did escape Varjo, he was slowly approaching the oblivion, because he would not be able to escape that terrible disease. Though he helped find the cure himself, he could not get any of the antidote before he was thrown out of the Spectre Realm. But somehow, he managed to reach our Far Frozen land. Even though he was as much a Spectre as the others when I found him—and I did not know at that time that he was also a human ghost—I had heard word of his feats, so I took pity on him. But I could not help him. So, I took him to someone I knew could. Clockwork."

"And Clockwork was able to save him by somehow putting him into the book!" Danny blurted out his wild guess.

Frostbite chuckled, "You are correct again, O Great One! Clockwork's book was magical and possessed many unknown powers. Clockwork had compiled the entire book with secrets and powers from throughout time. It was the only way to save Ombre….But even after Clockwork was able to locate some of the serum to cure him; he had been immersed in the book too deeply and too long to be able to leave it ever again.

"But Ombre was not upset about that. He was, of course, extremely grateful to Clockwork and to me for all we had done for him. But Ombre-within-the-Book begged the Time Master to let him continue in his fight to oust Varjo. At first, Clockwork refused. The book he was in was too valuable. But Ombre-within-the-Book was very desperate and finally Clockwork gave in."

Danny snapped his head back with that bit of information. He never thought Clockwork would 'give in' unless forced to!

Frostbite's next words pulled Danny out of his thoughts again. "Clockwork gave Ombre-within-the-Book to some Spectre rebels to take with them. They put up a fierce fight against Varjo and would have defeated that evil shadow ghost had Varjo not had the amulet! He was able to subdue Ombre-within-the-Book with the gem; and had the book in his very clutches, ready to destroy him. But then, Ombre-within-the-Book was snatched from right out of Varjo's hands!"

"Clockwork! Clockwork saved him again!" Danny blurted out.

Frostbite chuckled again. Danny Phantom was not his hero for just any reason. "Yes, my friend! Clockwork rescued Ombre-within-the-Book! He was too important to be lost…without him…"

"All would have been lost!" Danny completed the ice beast's thought. He then thought how his own life had been saved from the black shadow decay, at the pier, and at the museum, all because of Libro. He suddenly was very sorry that he had ever been upset with or jealous of him**. **

"And that is why I have to rescue him!" Danny finally uttered.

"What?" Frostbite said in total surprise.

"That's why I need the Infi-Map! Libro…, I mean, Ombre-within-the-Book, has been captured by the Spectre!

"Oh, no!" Frostbite gasped. "How? But never mind that for now! Then you must go and go quickly! But I must warn you! Unless you are under the protection of the amulet, you may very well perish yourself if you stay too long in the Spectre realm. No human ghost can withstand the harsh environment for long. And any ghost with ice powers fares worse. That is why our people could not defeat them and why the Spectre have been able to dwell there all that time."

But Danny smiled in self-satisfaction at his next thought.

Frostbite frowned in confusion. Why was he smiling? Did his young friend not hear him?

Danny indirectly answered him. Reaching into his pockets, he said, "Well, then, will these help?"

He pulled out the two rings and Frostbite gasped again in shock.


	42. Chapter 42 Confrontation

**A/N: So, how many of you are as shocked as me that Ombre was Libro? Well, don't feel bad, because I was thrown for a loop, too! Just kidding, of course! (Permission to roll your eyes and say 'Bad truephan'!) Ahem, anyway, here is a recap again from the last chapter: Danny has just learned that Ombre had survived the black shadow decay and was saved by Clockwork, only to be placed in the book—Libro—and return to fight on in his war against Varjo. But Ombre-within-the-Book was defeated once more and waited for years, until now. But, of course, he has been captured again by Bhuto, one of the Spectre and the chief henchshadowghost for Jiva. Bhuto is now headed to the Spectre Realm after capturing Libro. Sombre, too, has been captured and Johnny 13, Sam and Tucker have found another chest. And just as Danny was in the Far Frozen and has just shown Frostbite the rings, other brewings are happening…..**

**IDNOAC. Here is Chapter 42. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 42—Confrontation

Bhuto flew as fast as he could, trying to give himself as much distance from the powerful flesh-shadow as he could. Finally, he dared to look back. The Phantom-of-the-flesh had not followed him! The blow he had given that creature was enough.

He relaxed and slowed slightly. His next fear was of the Book. He could only hope that the blow he gave **it **would be enough to keep it still until he could deliver it to Jiva. He pulled it out from within him. It was still silent and listless. The shadow ghost sighed in relief and quickened his pace again.

Once he reached the castle, he anxiously flew toward the Princess' chambers. When he reached the door, he stopped, trying to compose himself. Then, when he thought he was ready, he lightly rapped on the door.

"Enter!" came the harsh reply. Bhuto immediately recognized the voice as Jiva's. He quickly entered the room.

"Highness?" he said with a low bow. Without waiting for her response, he held Libro up for her to see.

"Give it to me!" she commanded with an obviously delighted squeal. She flew quickly up to him and brazenly yanked Libro right out of Bhuto's hands.

But suddenly, Libro was surrounded by a bright red aura that also enveloped the Princess' hands.

Jiva was so startled by the event that she instantly dropped Libro to the floor.

"**You** pick it up, Bhuto!" she commanded, still looking in shock at the book.

Bhuto obliged her, trembling at first what might happen to him. But he relaxed when nothing came of his touching the book again.

Jiva flew over to a small hand tray sitting on top of a short, round table, and violently pushed off all the contents that lay on it. She quickly hissed, "Put it here!"

He did as she commanded, and then she pulled out several long strands from her crown of red shadow hair and handed them to Bhuto. "Now, wrap these tightly around it! That should keep it from doing anything to us!"

Again, he obeyed her and wrapped the threads tightly around the quiet, closed book. This time, Bhuto cringed in fear when the red glow reappeared around Libro. But the strands held firm and Libro was now a certain prisoner of the Spectre. And he would not recover from the initial blow Bhuto had given him until much, much later….

"Now, Bhuto," Jiva said with a satisfied smile. "I have almost all that I need… But her smile suddenly morphed to a threatening one as she tersely added, "I see, however, that you have yet to bring me the Phantom-of-the-flesh."

At first, Bhuto cowered at her intimidating tone, but he quickly mustered his courage and replied, "Yes, Highness. But I will 'persuade' him next. As you know, both the book and the Phantom-of-the-flesh were formidable on their own and unbeatable together. I have secured the book and I will next secure the flesh-shadow. I still have one more day as you granted me."

"You are right, Bhuto," she cooed as she pulled out more strands of her flaming red hair, handing them to him. "But I know you will not fail me as the others! Go. I await your victory!"

"Highness!" Bhuto acknowledged, taking the red strands with a low bow. He quickly wrapped them around his amulet as before and left for his mission.

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In the meantime, Spectro had returned from the farthermost corners of the Spectre realm, finished with checking on the troops. He had purposely made it a short trip, planning all the while on what was going to be done to the new prisoner; what to do with the mounting problems with the Spectre; and what to do about Jiva...Jiva. She was his foremost worry. But he let a small smile escape. He was now confident of what he would say when—not if—the princess would confront him for breaking her command to keep her secret quiet.

And that time came sooner than Spectro expected. As he headed toward the Room of Authority to speak with Phasma, Jiva spied him in the hallway near to where Phasma would be. Seeing that at the moment no other Spectre was in the area, she called to him and motioned for him to follow her to the room just adjacent to the Room of Authority. She smirked when she saw that this room was empty as well. She kept the door open, waiting for him to come in. This time, she would know all about him. She would not let him slide out of her hands again.

Spectro, irritated as he was, knew he had to get this over with. He had more important matters to attend to; but he would also not be able to afford to avoid her for long. He entered the room without hesitation. He acknowledged her silent command to close the door. He obliged her before turning toward her with a low bow. "You called, Highness?" he asked, still bowed. But he knew he had to be sure of her proximity to him. He straightened up and looked right at her before she acknowledged his response.

She narrowed her eyes as a cat about to pounce on her prey with his insolence. But for now, she would play with this mouse. "Yes, I did, Spectro," she cooed, slowly moving closer to him.

But this time, he stood his ground. He would not let her intimidate him, even as she drew nearer.

She stopped, stunned by his tenacity. Was he bluffing? She continued to glide slowly toward him, speaking again in her sickingly sweet voice, "I have learned that Phasma is unsettled…"

"Oh? No one has informed me of this!" Spectro coolly shot back.

"I just did! And that is more than good enough!" she hissed back, losing control. She floated closer.

But he didn't flinch. He tersely said, "More than 'of course', Highness." But though he wanted to tell her exactly what was on his mind, he said no more. He would not readily fall into her trap.

"Phasma is unsettled because of you!" she accused forcefully. She was very tempted to immediately strike him because of his impudence. But she controlled herself and drew nearer, so near that she noticed his eyes for the first time. Though they reflected fierceness, there was also a gentleness about them that he hid well. She was surprised and pulled back. But then she recovered and said with a threatening tone, "You have confused the mind of the Prophesy and for that, there is no forgiveness!"

Of course, Spectro knew where she was going with this. But he would not let on. Looking sternly at her, he purposely did not answer her. He would not give her that pleasure. He turned his back to her and slowly moved away toward the door.

But before she could react to his boldness, he turned back and smiled, calmly saying, "I understand. Then, am I to be put in the dungeon?"

"No!" she said a little too loudly.

This time, it was Spectro's turn to be surprised. He arched one of his eyebrows up at her reaction. Was he getting the upper hand after all? "Then we have no more time to waste with this talk, Highness!" he firmly said.

And just as he was about to bow to indicate that he was leaving, she screeched in fury at his audacity. How dare him! She would not hesitate any longer. She flew toward him, but just as she was upon him, he stood firmly and glared at her, and his look was so full of distain for her as she touched him, she jolted in shock. And as he instantly pulled away with disgust, she felt nothing. No emotion. No thoughts. Nothing. How could this be? No Spectre could resist her powers.

Jiva blinked in disbelief. But she would not be easily daunted. Perhaps she did not get a firm enough hold. She grew angry. Who did he think he was, being so brazen with _her_? She would try again.

But Spectro was almost out of the room before Jiva had come back to her wits and she shrieked, "Spectro!"

He stopped and turned around. He had better think of something in a hurry. He knew he would not be able to push his luck much longer. "Highness?" he calmly asked.

"You have lied to the Prophesy about the matters we had discussed!" she accused again. But she did not move toward him. Not just yet.

"I have always spoken the truth. About what matters are you speaking?" he said, controlling his emotions.

"You have told him that I commanded you not to speak about my plans to capture the renegade Spectre!" she said, hoping to throw him off balance.

Though he was certain that capturing the rebel was not her original plan, he was surprised at her ruse. Was she accusing him of telling the _truth_? But he didn't flinch and calmly replied, "I will not deny that I spoke to Phasma about your command of me... And I will not deny that I think you had more in your mind than to capture any underling! But I spoke the truth and if you fault me for telling the truth, then under the Spectre law, I demand a 'P'numbra Parley'!"

Jiva gasped. The rascal! He found a way! She, too, was very familiar with the law of which he spoke. Under it, no Spectre could harm or even touch another Spectre until a hearing to determine his guilt was given in front of all the Spectre, the Spectre Elders and the Prophesy. But no one had used that law for decades, and it held a power of its own. "No!" she uttered, admitting her defeat. "That will not be necessary!"

But Spectro would not be swayed. "Even so, I do demand it! And speaking in a more ancient tongue than the Spectre normally used, Spectro firmly chanted:

"Burdened and toiled  
With accusations untrue  
Heated and boiled  
With all perceptions askew

Spectre look to subdue  
Spectre look to it ergo  
Spectre look to undo  
Spectre look to the hallow

So, deep within the Shadow  
Haven for Spectre direly  
Power given long ago  
Demand the P'numbra Parley!" _**-x-**_

The command in Spectro's voice rang as strong as his words. The crystal around his neck shook in reply, breathing with orange-red fire.

And in another room not too far away, Phasma suddenly knew that the 'Oath of the P'numbra Parley' had been uttered.

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But just before Jiva cornered Spectro, Phasma anxiously paced the floor in the Room of Authority. Where was Spectro? He had summoned him because he didn't know what to do about his newest prisoner. He had been thrown for a loop. It was all just too coincidental. The Omen. The scrolls lost and then found. Now Sombre's return. He had to know if and how Sombre fitted into this mystery.

"Guards!" he bellowed as he struck the gong. It wailed in pain at his blow.

Two Spectre soldiers instantly reported to him and bowed low, ready for his command.

"Bring me the new prisoner called Sombre!"

"Yes, my lord," they said in unison, and with another bow, left.

Phasma continued to pace, his mind in turmoil. Suddenly, he heard movement and he swung violently around. But it was only the guards who had returned with the prisoner. How did they get there so soon?

Sombre was bound and shuttled between the two soldiers. He refused to look up at the Prophesy.

"So, Sombre, it has been a long, long time, has it not?" Phasma said, not particularly hiding his disdain.

But Sombre continued with a downward gaze and did not answer him. Johnny 13's friend was surprised how clearly he could understand Phasma. But then he knew why. He had been hit by the black-and-red seals! And those rays had been under the influence of the amulet. But then, why did he feel fine otherwise? He could not have known that the Spectre soldiers had been ordered not to use the full power of the black-and-red seals; and because of that, they had not harmed him as they would have other ghosts and creatures who would have absorbed a similar attack. But all he cared about right now that he was not permanently affected by the seals. And also that, in spite of the fact that the amulet was in the possession of the Prophesy, neither the amulet or the Prophesy had gained any control over him yet.

But Phasma interrupted Sombre's thoughts. "I am speaking!" he boomed as his crown of red hair-like flames and eyes flared. This time Sombre looked up.

But Sombre didn't answer right away. Could he speak their language again? He did not know and did not want to chance it. If Phasma knew he could now speak and understand Spectre again, then Phasma would not stop in finding out all that he knew.

"Grrr! Aarghhh!" Sombre hissed, concentrating to make sure he sounded exactly how he sounded to human ears after he had lost the ability to understand the Spectre language.

"What?" You cannot speak? Can you then even understand?" Phasma asked in shock. He had not expected this little oversight. "We must remedy that!" he growled, striking the gong again.

A servant appeared, bowing low and awaiting his instructions.

The Prophesy barked his command, "Tell the blacksmith to fashion a new talisman for our 'guest'. And tell him to make haste!"

The servant bowed lower, backed out of Phasma's presence, and hurried with his message.

Phasma smiled evilly with his next utterance. "In the meanwhile, my mute fool, you will feel the wrath of my father and me!" He instantly shot a very powerful black-and-red beam at the helpless Sombre. And as the prisoner cried in pain and fell senseless, Phasma startled when he suddenly felt his amulet tremor. Taking it out, he saw the unquestionable glow of its orange-red fire. He shrieked, "Someone has called for the P'numbra Parley!"

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Frostbite's eyes widened. "How did you get those?" he was finally able to say, not realizing he was unintentionally pointing to the rings in Danny's hands.

"It's a long story. But I know that these contain two of the four pieces of the amulet. Do you think if I wear them I can survive the harshness of the Spectre realm?"

"Indeed you will," Frostbite replied. "They are powerful. But you do not need to wear both. One will suffice to protect you from their acrid climate."

"Then maybe I should leave the other one with you for safekeeping?" Danny asked.

"No!" his friend was quick to answer. "The crystal will not be able to survive in our bleak, frozen land!"

"OK, I understand. Thanks anyway," Danny answered as he placed one of the rings on his finger and put the other in his pocket.

Frostbite frowned in more worry. "Be careful, Danny Phantom. I must tell you that many of your powers will not work in that hostile land."

The boy looked at him with questioning eyes and Frostbite knew exactly what he wanted to ask. So the ice beast continued, "As I told you, the Spectre Realm—and our land, for that matter—are not governed by the same elements and dimensions you know in your world and the Ghost Zone. The Spectre Realm effects on your powers, then, will be not as you would expect. For instance, since they are all a form of emptiness in and of themselves, your 'ghost sense', 'intangibility' and 'invisibility' powers will be totally useless, because they will be fully absorbed by the harsh emptiness of the Spectre Realm itself. And though your ice and energy ray powers and "ghostly wail" are more tangible powers, they still will be virtually ineffective because they will be severely weakened by the inhospitable environment. But finally, because you are a ghost with ice powers, the effects on you overall will be worse, even with the ring. That is why the Far Frozen Folk could not defeat the Spectre. Our ice powers were no match for the hostile elements. We could not even survive in the Spectre Realm as long as those ghosts without our powers. Still, neither can human ghosts survive for long there unless they are protected by some type of magic. So, it is good that you have at least one of the rings."

Danny's bit his lower lip with worry. That meant that just about all of his powers would not help him, and thinking of his ice powers, knew that some would even harm him more! He unconsciously looked down at his Blazers. "_At least I still have these,"_ he thought.

But his thoughts were interrupted as Frostbite pressed on, "And because you have an incomplete set of rings, the larger amulet will be able to subdue the rings in your possession; and use them against you, so keep high on your guard. And do not let the one who possesses the amulet get the rings. Your life could very well depend on it!"

Danny's eyes widened at his friend's words, but that only made him more determined in his mission. He had to get going. Placing his hand on his friend's large forearm, the boy said, "Thanks for everything, Frostbite, as always! And speaking of 'having a life to depend on', I need to go now and find Libro, I mean, Ombre-within-the-Book."

"You are correct, O Great One!" the ice beast said as he retrieved the Infi-Map. And as he handed it to his young friend, he added, "All our people of the Far Frozen wish you the best of luck!"

"Thanks, Frostbite! And to your people, too!" the boy said. He unrolled the map, closed his eyes, concentrated, and then commanded, "Take me to the realm of the Spectre!"

And the Infi-Map immediately obeyed him.

_**-x-**_** A/N: The P'numbra Parley is a corruption of the ancient Spectre term for "Penumbra Parley" or literally, the "Shadow Council". It was established in the very earliest rule of Ombre. Any Spectre who felt that they were treated unjustly could call forth one using the very same incantation that Spectro used. It was rarely used during the time of Ombre. And since the time of Varjo, no Spectre had the mental fortitude to do so. The P'numbra Parley demanded the attendance of all the Spectre, including the Elders, the Prophesy, and, of course, the defendant.**


	43. Chapter 43 The Final Chest

**A/N: So far: Jiva confronted Spectro with surprising results. Danny found out that the realm of the Spectre was indeed very harsh; and human ghosts, especially those with ice powers, would perish unless protected by the some sort of magic, which could be found in one of the rings. Danny also found out that most of his powers would be rendered useless in the hostile Spectre environment. Still, he uses the Infi-Map to take him to the Spectre land. Now, Bhuto is on his way back to the Real World in search of Danny. And Tucker, Sam and Johnny 13—still outside the hospital- are ready to see what is inside of the plain Spectre box. Now, IDNOAC, except the Spectre, and here is Chapter 43. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 43—The Final Chest

Tucker and Sam looked down into the plain case as Johnny 13 hovered over their shoulders. A dark, finely-etched, red glassy stone, so intense in color that it looked almost black, lay nestled in a soft cotton-like substance. Though its beauty begged them to hold it, everyone was hesitant to touch it.

Finally, the biker ghost said, "Well, aren't you going to take it out or are we gonna just gawk at it?"

"We really don't know what it'll do," Sam uttered, still staring at the glistening jewel and then glancing at Tucker.

"So, then, why don't we look at the clue again? Maybe it'll give us a hint on what to do with it," Tucker suggested, as he closed the box and put it in the same pocket as his PDA. Then he pulled out his PDA right afterward. He immediately pulled up the recorded clue; and even though he remembered the passage, he was so nervous, he wanted to make sure not to make a mistake. He read the last part:

"In the dark stone  
The secret name will cry  
Upon the throne  
The Omen of Prophesy!"

The boy handed his PDA to Sam and pulled out the case again. He opened it and said, begging the obvious, "Well, there is a dark stone in there!"

"But how is it gonna cry?" Sam asked, wincing at how stupid that sounded. But otherwise, the clue made no sense.

The trio looked at each other in silence.

"What if we take it out?" Sam suggested with shrug. "Maybe it'll do something if we do? Or maybe not? In any case, so far, everything related to this mystery hasn't affected humans."

Tucker nodded and Johnny 13 shrugged, at a lost to make the decision. Sam held out her hand toward the box, silently volunteering to do the deed. Tucker looked at her in worry and she smiled in reassurance. He handed her the case just as she returned his PDA.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing happened when she lifted the stone out of the case. But she noticed something beneath it. It was another rolled-up scroll. But this one was much smaller than the others. She also took that out and immediately handed it to Johnny 13.

"What?" the ghost said with some alarm as he gingerly accepted the parchment.

"It crumbles when humans handle it," she informed him.

He nodded, but his hand trembled a little in fear as he did. But as he began to unroll it, Sam told the ghost, "We're going to have to wait for Danny to read it."

"Why do we have to, uhm,...wait?" Johnny 13 began as he glanced down at the writing and, in amazed disbelief, added, "Wait! I…I can…read it?"

Sam and Tucker looked at each other in total surprise. Johnny 13 had told them that he had been shot by the Spectre. That's why he, like Danny, could now read the scroll!

"You got zapped by the Spectre and that's why you can read it! That's great! Well, not that you got zapped, of course, but that you can read the scroll!" Sam said, crunching her face up and shrugging with embarrassment over her choice of words. She cleared her throat and continued. "So, what do you guys say that we go somewhere else besides here to look at what the scroll has to say?"

Both of the males nodded and just as Johnny 13 was stuffing the scroll into his pocket, Tucker noticed a hole forming in the sky just above them. "Look!" he cried, pointing.

They saw an ebony shadow ghost emerging from the portal. Johnny 13 hesitated, scanning and hoping that it was Sombre. But it wasn't. It was Bhuto, who had returned to the Real World looking for Danny.

Sam firmly clutched the red stone, dropped the case, grabbed Tucker and pulled them both closer to Johnny 13. She hurriedly cried, "Make us all intangible and invisible right now and get us out of here, Johnny!"

The ghost reacted immediately to the girl's desperate command and he grabbed both of the humans. Turning them all intangible and invisible, he quickly soared upward with the teens, heading away from the Spectre.

Fortunately for the fleeing trio, Bhuto had not seen them because he headed straight down to where he had first seen and attacked the Phantom-of-the-flesh. But just before he totally phased through the ground, he saw the strange little case and instinctively scooped it up. He ended up in the decimated old hospital foundation. He knew by its devastation that the flesh-creatures couldn't possibly be here. But where could they be? While deciding on what to do, the Spectre opened the little box. It was empty and he dropped it in disappointment. He really didn't know why he had even picked it up. Now what was he going to do?

Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 flew towards Sam's house and did not stop until they had phased into her room.

The two teens were still panting in reaction to their narrow escape.

"Oh, no!' Johnny 13 moaned. "I left my bike back there!"

Sam and Tucker looked at him in both disbelief and sympathy. He was more worried about his bike than Bhuto!

"Just be glad you didn't get zapped by those black rays again, dude!" Tucker pointed out.

"Besides, you can always go back when the coast is clear, right?" Sam offered with a shrug and a weak smile.

"Yeah, I guess. But now what are we going to do? I just have such a bad feeling about all this." The biker ghost moaned again. "And what about our friends?" Johnny 13 continued, losing any confidence he had had when he first went looking for help. In fact, he had already begun his spiral turn down into a deeper despair with the return of Bhuto.

"We'll just have to solve this puzzle, that's all. It's the only way to help them, now," Sam said with determination.

"But don't you see? We're all at a loss here!" the ghost replied with a chagrined look on his face.

Sam and Tucker looked at him and were suddenly worried about the ghost's change in demeanor.

"No, we're not at a loss. Just a little stuck. So, then, let's see about that tiny scroll," Sam suggested, trying to press on and counter Johnny 13's apprehension.

Johnny 13 pulled it out of his pocket and unrolled it. But before he started to read it, Tucker immediately pulled out his PDA.

"Uh, what are you doing, dude?" the ghost asked, letting the hand holding the scroll fall down to his side.

"It's our insurance. In case the scroll gets destroyed or lost, remember? I have all the clues in this little baby!" He patted it with a smug smile and readied himself to text. "But you better read it slowly so I text it right, OK, dude?"

"Uh, yeah, OK. It's cool, then," Johnny said as he pulled up the scroll again and unrolled it. He sighed, trying to get a hold himself. Then he proceeded to read it very slowly, spelling the words when necessary:

"Heed the glow  
Ere the blow  
Heed the glow  
Hind the blows  
Bind the Spectre  
Find the Way  
Power to b'stow."

After Tucker had texted it, he looked at the others. They silently returned his glance, also at a lost about a guess.

"Nothing?" Johnny 13 asked the two teens.

The humans shook their heads. And all three were silent again.

Finally, Sam couldn't take it any longer. She was going to make a wild guess, even if it were a lame one. She uttered, "Well, this thing _has_ to do something with it, so why else would it be in there?" She held up the dark red stone that had been in her grasp the entire time. "It obviously didn't do anything when I touched it, but what if a _ghost_ touched it?" She immediately looked Johnny 13 in the eye.

The biker ghost shuddered and gulped, "I, uh, I already screwed up once down below the hospital, remember? W-Who knows if my touching it might, like, cause an earthquake or somethin'?" He looked down at the floor, discouraged and disappointed in his lack of courage.

"But, Johnny, we have to try everything! This might be a way for us to find the Spectre!" Sam said with pleading eyes.

But the bike ghost still didn't look up.

Trying to encourage him, Tucker went up to the biker and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, dude, Danny, Sombre, Libro! They're all there in that Spectre land and like Sam said, we have to figure out this puzzle to help our friends," Tucker added with a worried frown.

But Johnny still stared downward.

Suddenly, the boy thought he heard a guttural gasp. He turned toward it and swore he saw a shadow flit by the window. He looked to his companions and instantly knew by their reaction that Johnny 13 and Sam hadn't heard or seen it. Walking slowly over to Sam, he said to her, "Hey, Sam, I want to show you something!" He showed her the blank screen on his PDA and hurriedly whispered, "Sam, there's something outside the window. It might be a shadow ghost!"

"OK, just try to act like we didn't notice it," Sam suggested, speaking under her breath. "I have a plan." She went to her bureau and placed the stone on top of it. Then she opened one of her drawers.

Tucker rolled his eyes. He hated those kinds of plans! He usually had no idea what she meant by them and this was no different. He just hoped he would get it at the end like he usually did.

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Bhuto frantically searched the grounds around the hospital. Nothing. He tried to suppress his panic. He had to find the Phantom-of-the-flesh, but didn't know how. He jolted at his next thought: The Princess would not accept any excuses!

He would have to search the rest of the city. Anything would be better than to face Jiva empty-handed! He headed off, picking his direction randomly. He checked the first few houses he came across along the way, keeping to the shadows as much as he could. Seeing nothing significant in those homes, he traveled onward. Finally, after about the fifth house, he came upon a two-story well-kept home.

He crept to the first window on the uppermost level and heard a familiar voice. He knew it was the flesh-girl's voice! That flesh-creature had been with the Phantom-of-the-flesh under the ground. Encouraged by this, he inched closer to the window and peered in. His eyes widened. Could it be? There was the very same flesh-boy who had attacked the Spectre and him at the flesh town at Shadesville with his strange little machine! But where was the Phantom-of-the flesh? But wait! **That** other flesh-shadow had been with that Spectre named Sombre! They **had** to know where the Phantom was! He listened in…

...but he groaned a little when he didn't understand most of it. Suddenly, the flesh-boy touched the flesh-shadow and Bhuto clearly understood what the flesh-boy was saying...

"Yeah, dude, Danny, Sombre, Libro! They're all there in that Spectre land and like Sam said, we have to figure out this puzzle to help our friends," Tucker added with a worried frown.

When Bhuto heard that, he gasped. He knew two of those names! But what of the other? Did the Phantom-of-the-flesh use another name? He had a hunch that he did, as it would make sense why he wasn't with those creatures in there and why they looked so worried. So it had to be! The Phantom-of-the-flesh must be in the Spectre Realm as the flesh-boy said! But then, he saw the flesh-boy turn in his direction and the shadow ghost darted away from the window.

But Bhuto had to know more. He waited a moment and then chanced to spy into the room again. The flesh-boy and flesh-girl didn't seem to have noticed him, as they were looking down at that little machine. And now they were moving away and toward that bureau. He pulled his head up further so he could get a better look.

But suddenly, a small beam singed the top of his black Spectre hair. Bhuto's eyes narrowed in anger when he saw the flesh-girl still aiming at him with her wrist ray gun. He lunged at her, but he was immediately jolted with a larger, more powerful ray from Tucker's PDA.

The sounds of the rays and Bhuto's painful screech as the shadow ghost was thrust back into the Ghost Zone riveted Johnny 13 out of his depression and self-pity. "Hey, what's happening?" he yelled, looking up in shock. He was totally taken off guard by the sudden appearance of the same Spectre that they had seen earlier and by Sam and Tucker's reflexive attack on it.

"Uh, this is so uncool!" the biker ghost lamented. "All these Spectre all over the place! We can't win, don't you see?"

But he was met by two determined angry sets of eyes. "One thing you need to know about us, dude," Tucker said with firmness in his voice. "We don't ever give up!"

"Ever!" Sam echoed, jabbing her finger violently at the biker ghost to emphasize her point. Her face suddenly changed to worry again, and she threw up her arms and said, "And we don't know how much that Spectre heard. Our friends might be in more danger now! And that should be more than enough to convince you that we need to find the Spectre on our own!"

Johnny 13 didn't answer her right away. He thought of his friend. He did want to help Sombre. Then, he jolted a little at his next thought: this was _why_ he had come into the Real World in the first place! But he hesitated again. Now, however, it was different. He was more scared than ever. He paused. But if it were _he_ who was in trouble, he just knew that Sombre would try to help _him_. He swallowed hard, trying to steal himself. Then, he silently went over to the dark red stone as the two teens looked anxiously at what he was doing. He held out the hand that had his ring on it. He trembled as the hand drew closer to the jewel. He was just about to grasp it when, suddenly, his ring trembled and glowed a bright green. He gasped and pulled his hand back. That's all he needed to realize how important this all was. He swallowed hard once more, and turned to the humans. With as much determination in his voice as he could muster, he said, "So, then, what's keeping us?"


	44. Chapter 44 In the Spectre Realm

**A/N: What's happened so far: Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 found a strange jewel and another clue. Johnny 13 had gotten cold feet again about going to help Sam and Tucker solve the clues and go to the Spectre Realm. Then, Bhuto found them and heard through their conversation that Danny is in the Spectre Realm. But Bhuto is attacked and sent back to the Ghost Zone by Tucker's wondrous little machine. And Sam, Tucker and now Johnny 13 are convinced that they need to go to the Spectre realm more than ever to help their friends. Oh, and this is where I think the story starts to get really juicy...when we finally get In the Spectre Realm! So, now, here is Chapter 44. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 44—In the Spectre Realm

Tucker and Sam looked at each other in relief and slight surprise that they—or they should say, the stone—was finally able to convince Johnny 13 to try to find the Spectre. But in the end, it didn't matter how they did it, they were just glad that they did. Because now they would be able to help their friends. And they could get going. They didn't give much thought to the fact that Danny would probably be upset with them for taking such a risk as going into the Spectre Realm. But even if they did, they knew that facing danger in helping their friend had never stopped them before; and in the end he would understand.

Sam finally spoke for the both of them, "Thanks, Johnny! We really needed your help..." Then another thought hit her. "And, we can use your bike to get us to…" she began, but then she hesitated when she noticed the change in the ghost's face as it fell again, and said, "Uh, what's wrong, Johnny?"

"Uhm, my bike's in the Ghost Zone," Johnny 13 said with a sheepish cringe. "I have it programmed to return to the lair if I'm off of it too long. I, ya know, don't want anybody ripping it off."

"Cool!" Tucker blurted out, suddenly interested in how the ghost did that.

But Sam just growled in slight irritation. Then rolling her eyes, she said, "Boys!... OK, then, we'll just have to come up with another plan to…get…to…the Far…" she began, but slowly wound down to a stop as the next wild thought pressed upon her. The males just looked at her in bewilderment at her change in demeanor and why she hadn't finished her thoughts.

Her eyes widened in excitement as she uttered with certainty at that idea, "Clockwork! We need to go see Clockwork!" She immediately looked to Tucker.

Then, Johnny 13 watched their hurried conversation in silent surprise, turning his head toward each of them in turn, as if he were a spectator watching the volley of rounds at a tennis game.

"Clockwork? What's he got to do with it?" Tucker asked, totally not catching her drift.

"He's closer to us than the Far Frozen and he must know something! He used to have Libro, you know, and he might know why the Spectre want Libro!" she answered.

"OK, you may be on to something there. But we don't know if he'll help! You know how he is!" Tucker pointed out.

"But even if he won't tell us about Libro, he might be willing to tell us where the Spectre are!" Sam persisted, shaking her arms upward to emphasize her point.

"I don't know, Sam,..." Tucker began.

"But we have to try, Tucker! I think there's more to Libro's story. There has to be!"

"I agree, but what are we going to say to Clockwork to convince him?"

"I haven't thought about that yet. But I think we should find out. I just know there is more to all of this when it comes to Libro. I can't tell you why I know. I just do!"

"Now you're sounding like Danny! You sure you didn't get shot by a Spectre?" Tucker dryly said.

"Very funny, Tucker," she deadpanned, but her heart jumped when she heard Danny's name. She was getting more worried about him. And Libro. And even Sombre. "Anyhow, we'll need to get the Specter Speeder if we're going to see Clockwork! And maybe we can use it to get to the Spectre. It's the best way."

Tucker nodded, finally giving into her. He always did, because she was usually right. "OK, then, what are you going to tell Danny's folks why they should let us have the Specter Speeder?"

"I won't. I'll ask Jazz. She'll know what to say so that they don't get worried. Even though the rest of us are pretty worried!" she said with a frown.

"OK, then, we better get ready!" Tucker firmly concluded, and instinctively, both he and Sam turned toward Johnny 13.

"Gee, are you two always this way?" he asked, totally amazed on how crazily—but also how well—the two humans worked things through.

"No, we usually have Danny throwing in his 'two-cents' worth, too!" Tucker quipped back. But he immediately frowned in worry at his words. He was anxious for his friend. Determined to do all he could to help him, he continued in all seriousness, "And we better not waste anymore time!"

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Danny's trip to the Spectre realm was longer than he had expected. He couldn't make out his surroundings because the Infi-Map was moving faster than his supersonic speed. But he was certain that he had never come this far into the Ghost Zone, and a few moments later, he knew why.

The atmosphere totally changed. It was no longer the greens, blacks and purples of the Ghost Zone he knew. Now black, red and gray blurs sped past him as the Inif-Map continued its onward trek.

It also felt very hot, uncomfortably hot. Definitely not like the cold sensation he was used to in the Ghost Zone. He could feel the perspiration already forming on his brow and in his palms clutching at the Infi-map, but did not dare let go of the parchment to wipe it off.

The atmosphere also grew thicker and his breathing was getting heavier. His lungs burned from the effort. And the smell screamed at him. His head was already reeling from the odorous onslaught, and he could feel a dull headache coming on. It reminded him of the swamp at Skulker's Island, though the odor was more pungent and invasive; and he was suddenly aware that the stench was so bad that it was spilling over into his mouth…He groaned. He was already having problems with his head and lungs aching without adding a queasy stomach to the mess…As he tried to ignore the very disquieting sensations, his mind drifted back to Frostbite….How right his friend was! This place was totally opposite of the Far Frozen, and he could now see why the ice creatures or any human ghost couldn't survive here. He looked at Ombre's ring that was around his finger. It had a lackluster glow to it. He was glad he had it on. He didn't want to know if all the discomfort he was now experiencing could be any worse than feeling them without the power of the tiny amulet.

A few moments later, the Infi-Map slowed. Danny could finally see the Spectre Realm. As he scanned the area, he could see some similarities with the other parts of the Ghost Zone after all. There were all kinds of floating red ghost shelves that dotted the area. Some of them had grotesque, large black-and-red trees haphazardly growing on them, their twisted, knotted arms raised upward in agony as they called for mercy from the harsh environment. But it was all in vain.

Other red shelves had large, thick black, red or gray boulders nestled in them. Still others had monstrous caves or were all together barren. Small whirlwinds of black dust would sometimes dance on the barren shelves, but their ballet was violent and threatening, and did not stop until the dust was angrily thrust into the atmosphere. Not a comforting sight in the least.

Every once in a while, he swore he saw something in the hidden shadows move, or shadow-like animals darting from one darkened area to another, as if they were afraid to be seen in what you could call 'the light' here. The muted illumination of the Spectre Realm ever dressed the land in a dusk-covered gown, sober and depressing, like an abandoned bride left crying under her veil of darkness. Danny instinctively fought the creeping feeling of fearful doubt that seemed to reach out to him from these mourning shadows that he still floated by; and the unceasing tug of the Infi-Map was his only solace in the surrounding gloom. He dare not stop to investigate the mysterious movement in the shadows, and secretly hoped that they would, in turn, ignore him.

He continued to scan all around him. Overall, though, none of the red ghost shelves seemed to possess any ghostly homes. Nor did the red sky have any floating doors. But it did have black and grey clouds that continually swirled in and upon themselves or collided with the adjoining clouds that dared to challenge them. Every once in a while, black lightning would pierce the scarlet sky, producing a flash of unnatural brightness before the dusk-like light would return.

Danny wondered if this was all there was in this barren realm. Where could the Spectre possibly live? _"Well, Johnny 13 and Frostbite did say that they were never human, so would they even know what a human home looked like?"_ he said to himself as the Infi-Map slowed to a crawl. That didn't help matters at all. He was suddenly made aware of a strong and constant hot wind that pushed against him and the Infi-Map. It, too, seemed to whisper warnings to him, but he ignored them. And he was thankful that the obviously potent sensations that first alerted him of the entry to this hostile land had not changed. He knew he would be alright as long as he had Ombre's ring on.

Finally, the Infi-Map stopped. Still holding onto it, the boy looked in the distance. His eyes began to burn as the blistering wind continued to buffet him and the map. He could see a large grey and black castle ahead. _"Well, I take that back, of course! Ombre and Varjo were once human, so they would have known about human homes!"_ he thought to himself as he drew in his already dry lips.

Realizing that the Infi-Map had done its job and that he was still clinging to it, he finally said to the parchment, "Uh, thanks, Map!" Then he chuckled, "Sorry! For a moment there, I thought you were just like Libro!" He let the map go and it instantly charged back to the Far Frozen. But as the boy anxiously watched the map soar away, he was suddenly pushed back by the hot, swirling wind as if it were driving its dread into him. "Whoah!" he uttered, and immediately shoved back against it and the foreboding feelings it brought, as he forced his thoughts back to his mission. His demeanor radically changed. "Libro!" he uttered with anticipation and urgency. "I'd better hurry…and I better be careful!"

With the annoying hum of the stiff, hot wind ringing in his ears, and still stinging his eyes, he headed toward the castle. It grew in size as he neared it, and he could now make out the details. He slowed his pace and steered himself slightly away from the main entrance. The castle was even uglier up close than from the distance he had first seen it. It at least had the outline of a castle, with tall, thin twisting minarets on each of its four corners. There was no moat, though the entire castle seemed to float upon a large, thick grey cloud.

The main entrance was smaller than those he had seen in pictures of human castles in his history books. It was guarded by two other minarets that matched the corner ones in appearance, except that they were shorter. And on top of each tower flew the same kind of flag. Danny blinked away the irritation in his eyes just enough to see their image whipping as violently as his hair in the steady wind. All of the flags were solid black in color except for a large red streak of flame dashing across the middle of each. The flames looked real as they fought the wind and even they seemed to threaten him.

He looked up at one of the minarets. If it weren't so tall, it-–and the others—would have blended right into the walls. The windows that managed to pull themselves from the walls were black and refused to allow light to enter or leave them. Pits of shadows pooled at various places, as if they had dripped off the castle; and the boy couldn't help but wonder if they were bottomless.

Searching for a way in besides the main entrance, Danny scanned the castle's craggy black walls, which wrestled with streaks of grayer portions of the same surreal material, intertwining with each other in a grotesque way. It suddenly reminded him of the clouds and then he blinked in shock. As he studied the walls more carefully, they looked _almost_ _exactly_ like the clouds! The black and gray shadows embedded in the castle walls slowly moved about, twisting upon each other, but not crossing an unseen—and agreed upon—boundary of the walls themselves... It was as if the castle was actually a more solid version of the clouds. As if the castle was a daunting, but tangible, shadow in and of itself.

He did not like it all. He suddenly saw two Spectre guards leave the main entrance and he darted toward one of the shadows nearby the easternmost minaret. That was too close! He wasn't warned, and this made him more apprehensive. He had hoped that Frostbite would have been wrong about his ghost sense not working and was not happy when his friend's words rang true.

He was about to venture out of his hiding place when a hidden door suddenly swung open in the same minaret he was next to. He tried to press into the shadow made by the indentation he had retreated to, hoping the space would conceal him. But he gasped when he could still see his ring's dull glow. It seemed like a beacon in the shadow. If the shadow ghosts didn't see him right away, then it would betray him for sure! Just as the shadow ghosts were about to ooze out of the door, the boy instinctively reacted. He turned the ring around so that the gem now glowed within his hand and willed his transformation rings. He grew more worried when he saw how dim his whitish-blue rings were and how slowly he changed back to his human form. He jolted. Even **that** felt strange here. It was not the cold penetrating rush he usually felt. It was more like a weak chill that hinted at failure in the end, as if he might not fully change. However, he took no time to think about it and quickly pushed hard against the external wall. This time, he almost panicked when it clearly was not as easy to phase through the wall as it should have been. But he had momentarily forgotten what Frostbite had said about this strange realm, which was, of course, that hardly any of the laws of the Real World or Ghost Zone applied here. So, even his human half was affected! In fact, if it weren't because of his hybrid nature—and because of the help of Ombre's ring—he wouldn't have been able to phase at all.

A few moments later, he had phased completely through and stood inside the castle in pitch blackness. It was a good thing that he had reacted as he had, as he would have been detected by the Spectre if he had stayed at the place he had been.

He blinked at the solid darkness, trying to get his stinging eyes to adjust more quickly. Then he noticed the only thing different in here than all the sensations on the outside was the air. It was heavier and more oppressive, as if it not only would yank the air right out of him, but also squeeze out any confidence he had. As he struggled to take in his next breath, he smiled a little at the irony of his next thought. Compared to this stagnant air, he now kind of missed the biting wind! At least it gave him a sense of being alive—sort of. His next impulse, then, was to fire up a ball of light energy, but he waited. He didn't chance transforming back into his ghostly form right away, because, of course, he had no idea where he was. He felt that his bluish-white rings, though significantly dimmer than normal, would surely be as a balefire in here, and give him away.

"_No, I have to be extra careful_," he silently told himself. His eyes finally adjusted to the blackness and he noticed a thin line of a lighter shade of black just in front of him near the floor. Hoping that this was where some light was sneaking in, he slowly inched toward it. But just when he was about to reach it, he knew for certain that his 'ghost sense' wasn't working when he was suddenly and harshly grabbed from behind.

In the next instant, he felt the aggressively heavy pressure of something sharp clamp against his throat. He immediately pulled at it, trying to force it away, grunting with the struggle just as he felt the hot panting breath press angrily down upon him.


	45. Chapter 45 A Surprising Discovery

**A/N: So far: Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 have decided to go to see Clockwork to see if the Time Master will help. Danny has reached Phasma's castle and in desperation changed back to his human side so he could phase through the castle's walls and finds himself in danger! And what about the others? Spectro? The last time we saw him, he had a confrontation with Jiva about his role in telling Phasma about her own plans outside of Phasma's knowledge. But Spectro outwitted her and called for the 'P'numbra Parley' which would prevent her from getting any closer to him. Meanwhile, Jiva and Phasma are brooding; and Bhuto has just been zapped and is in the Ghost Zone. Are ya with me now? Good, 'cause, now, IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 45. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 45—A Surprising Discovery

Danny didn't hesitate any longer and in the very next moment he willed _both_ his transformation and a weak ball of ectoplasmic energy from both of his hands. He frowned when he noticed that just like his transformation rings, the light from the orb was also weaker than it would have been in any other part of the Ghost Zone. But compared to the surrounding blackness, they seemed brilliant and penetrating as they illuminated a very small part of the room. He went with it anyhow.

The entity that had attacked him shrieked in pain at the sudden intensity of the weak light. It instinctively pulled away from the boy, shielding its very being with its arms as the seemingly blaring rays attacked it.

Danny immediately bolted upward and twisted violently back, turning on his Blazers as he did. He was about to fire when he stopped in mid-flight. The creature had slightly lowered his arms from his face just as the boy's eyes had finally adjusted to the dull light. Danny blinked in disbelief when he saw who the being was.

"Sombre!" Danny yelled, still surprised. Weak as it was, he still toned the dull orb's intensity down so that only one hand was charging a ball of ectoplasmic energy. He excitedly added, "What are you doing here?"

"Phantom?" the shadow ghost gasped. He thought he knew that voice. He squinted through the weak light, checking to make sure he was right about his guess. He, too, wondered how the boy got into his cell and asked, "How did you get here?" He then jolted at his next thought. "And why are you here? Flesh-shadows cannot survive here!"

Floating nearer to the shadow ghost, Danny answered his second question. "I'm looking for Ombre!"

"What did you say?" Sombre asked in total shock. Did he hear him right? What did he mean by speaking that name? Then his tone changed radically as he hissed, "How dare you mock the memory of my father and mock me!" He brandished his claws again and charged the boy.

"Wait!" Danny objected, but Sombre was so upset at hearing his father's name again that he reacted in fury. The young hybrid immediately willed his own 'wulf' claws just as Sombre met him and their claws interlocked. Danny struggled both with the shadow ghost's angry talons and his own irritation.

"Look!" the boy panted as he shoved the shadow ghost away with his claws, surprised that his breathing was already increasing with fatigue from fighting Sombre _and_ the elements, "I'm not mocking you or your father!"

Sombre attacked again and Danny darted upward, just barely avoiding getting run through by the angry shadow ghost. He flipped around, his feet anchored against the ceiling, ready to propel him if necessary. Seeing Sombre just below him, the teen yelled, "And your father is still alive and he's in the book, the book that once saved you! We have had him with us a long time since Clockwork gave him to Sam! We call him 'Libro'!"

Danny braced himself as Sombre started to soar upward in attack. But the shadow ghost jolted to a stop at the boy's words. He floated downward and lowered his claws.

Danny sighed in relief. He was glad that Sombre had calmed down. Though it had been more difficult for him to counter the raging shadow ghost than normal, his claw power had protected him. He now knew they would be quite effective against the Spectre should he need them in the future.

Sombre put his shadow hand over his eyes at the emotion of the still shocking news just as the boy landed next to him. He stammered, "H-How can this be? He had perished!...And why would Clockwork give the flesh-girl the book? He would not even let Johnny take it to help me…." He stopped abruptly at his next memory. Johnny! They were attacked in their lair! Only he, his friend…and Phantom knew where their secret lair was! Maybe the ghost boy was in league with Phasma and the other Spectre after all and was trying to trap him with all his lies about his father! "You must be lying!" He growled again, recharged in his anger. He rearmed himself with his claws, ready to strike. "And how dare you come into my presence after revealing the location of my secret lair! I am a prisoner here all because of **you**!"

"_Now what?"_ the boy instantly thought, wiping off his brow. But he said instead, "What? I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't betray you! I swear I haven't been to your lair since the last time I saw you!" He barely avoided the angry charging claws again.

But this time Danny didn't attack with his own set of claws. He activated his Blazers and shot the shadow ghost. Sombre fell stunned, but not hurt, as Danny had not set it to its full charge. Not that it would matter, anyway. His own 'enhanced' ectoplasmic energy was very weak.

The boy quickly flew to the fallen shadow ghost and insisted, "I'm sorry I had to do that to you, but **listen** to me! I'm **not** lying!" And after recharging a small orb of light, he proceeded to tell the passive shadow ghost all that Frostbite had told him. He also convinced Sombre that he was just as shocked to find him here and had no clue about his and Johnny 13's attack at their lair. Then he quickly told the shadow ghost what he knew about Libro. After wiping off the sweat, and taking a long-needed breath, the boy then ended with, "And as for why Clockwork gave the book to Sam, I can't answer that. It's very complicated and, honestly, we really don't have time for it. You're just gonna have to trust me on that one."

Sombre was quiet for a long time afterward Danny had told him the story and the boy grew nervous. But Sombre couldn't help but believe the boy about the attack on him and Johnny 13. The boy seemed too anxious about saving this Libro—his father—and would not have told him all that he did if he were in cahoots with the Spectre. Besides, why would he have come here? He was in personal danger to be in this harsh environment for too long. "I am sorry," he finally muttered to the young hybrid, dropping his head in shame. Then he added, really muttering to himself rather than to the boy, "I had always hoped that…but he never came back to us, uh, me….never sent word. And I was alone for so very long…."

He fell silent again, and Danny couldn't help but feel pity for him. He knew he was talking about Ombre. "Look, Sombre," he gently said, "The important thing is that your dad is alive. And he's done his best to do the right thing even if he sorta never got back to you. But I think he tried. He did try to get to you when you were in prison even after he was infected with that terrible disease. And he did kinda cure you after your escape…But maybe he couldn't get word to you. After all, he was—and still is—stuck in the book, and he was at Clockwork's castle all those years. But let me tell you that he's proven himself to be a loyal, brave and dependable friend. He saved my life three times and he's become a close friend of mine. And that goes for Sam and Tucker, too. We're glad for that. And because he is my friend, I have to help him now that he needs me…." He paused, and then added, "And because he is your father, you have to help him, too."

Sombre snapped his head up and looked directly at Danny. The boy was right! And the shadow ghost knew that now was the time that he had both anticipated and feared. Now was the time to save his kind.

"All right," Sombre finally said, with more determination in his voice than Danny expected. "I will do what I must. So, what do you have planned and what do you want me to do?"

"Well, I haven't thought it through all the way yet," the younger ghost admitted with a weak smile. He brought up the hand not creating the flickering ball of light and nervously rubbed the back of his neck with it. "After all, it was just me at first; and now, it's just you and me against a bazillion Spectre."

Sombre just looked at him, at a lost for any other plan. But then he thought about one of the earlier questions he had asked the boy. He could see that the hybrid was suffering, but he didn't seem to be suffering as much as any flesh-shadow would by this time. "But how can you have the strength to do all this? Flesh-shadows cannot survive in the Spectre realm!"

Danny smiled and quickly turned his ring around with his right thumb. He lifted his hand with the ring as he unconsciously wiped his brow again with his other hand. Sombre's eyes widened, but he understood when he saw his father's ring dimly glowing on the boy's finger. "So, the power is still there, even when it has returned here! That is good."

Danny then smiled a little more, and trying to hide his difficult breathing, said, "Well, then, now that's settled, we've got to get you out of here. And we need to do it so that no one will notice that you're gone. We can't take the chance of blasting you outta here."

"And just how will 'we' do that?" Sombre asked, arching up one of his brows.

"I'll just go and get the keys!" the boy simplistically said, just as he reverted back to his human form. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he said in the total darkness.

He turned toward the dull and lighter shade of black darkness under the door and frowned when he realized again how difficult it was once more to phase through it. But he knew that there still was no time to think about it and hurriedly brushed it off. He looked around in the slightly lighter darkness on the other side of Sombre's cell and knew he could not change back into his ghostly alter ego until he was sure no one was there. His weak transformation light would still be too obvious.

But what the boy wondered as he began to inch toward the only corridor he could barely make out in front of him was if he would be able to get back to Sombre at all.

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Spectro looked all around, scanning the area he was in. No Spectre was near. He skirted along, hugging the shadows. He finally had the chance to go. Phasma was too upset about the capture of the prisoner and the calling forth of the P'numbra Parley to think about searching for the Omen right now.

But the Spectre general did not have much time. He would have to finish his errand quickly before anyone noticed that he was missing and before the P'numbra Parley. It would not fare well for him at the Spectre council if it was discovered that he left now without Phasma's permission.

He opened a rarely used door. It creaked in protest after having been undisturbed for decades. Spectro froze, listening intently. No one responded to the door's outcry. He quickly passed through the opening and shut the door as quietly as it would allow. He waited again, hoping that he got out without detection. He turned tightly around and pressed his back against the closed door. His eyes jolted in all directions, searching for movement. There was none.

He sighed slightly, but knew he had no time to relax. He headed away from the castle without notice and penetrated the Spectre realm.


	46. Chapter 46 Answers at Clockwork's Castle

**A/N: So far: Danny literally runs into Sombre in Phasma's castle, and together they are going to try to rescue Libro. But first, Danny needs to get the shadow ghost out of his prison cell and ventures out with his simple plan. In the meantime, Sam, Tucker, and Johnny 13 are headed toward Clockwork's castle, hoping that the Time Master will help them. Now, IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 46. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 46—Answers at Clockwork's Castle

Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 hurried to Clockwork's castle in the Specter Speeder. They all felt a mixture excitement and fear at seeing the Time Master again. The short dealing that Johnny 13 had, and the many dealings that the two humans also had with Clockwork in the past left them in awe and apprehension when they had been in his presence. Sam and Tucker, however, didn't feel as worried or fearful about seeing Clockwork as much as the biker ghost did. Their friendship with him had developed more since the Poisoned Ghost War; and they knew he was approachable. Still, the Time Ghost was mysterious. He could very well flatly refuse their request and then admonish them for coming. But that thought wasn't going to prevent them from going nonetheless. Too much was at stake.

The trio landed the spacecraft right in front of the castle. They stepped out and stood silently at the front door.

"What are we waiting for?" Johnny 13 finally asked, already getting jittery.

"Well, we've been here before, but we were always with Danny, and so, we usually just walked in," Tucker said, hesitating. He looked at Sam and she shrugged, uncertain at the moment on what to do.

"Well, then, why don't we do the same?" the biker ghost ask, shrugging with uncertainty.

"Uh, shouldn't we knock first?" the boy said with the same kind of shrug.

Sam finally grunted with frustration and said, "Well, we're going nowhere with this! Let's just go, OK?"

But before they could move toward the door, it suddenly and magically opened.

"Uhm, I guess we're expected?" Johnny 13 gulped as all three entered the castle.

With Sam and Tucker leading, they anxiously worked their way to the main room.

"Come in," the terse voice said as they finally came to the door.

Even though the three visitors instantly recognized Clockwork's voice, they still jumped in response to it.

Studying the group just as they entered where he was, the young form of Clockwork raised an eyebrow and said, "So, what brings your odd little company here?" He knew that it was the first time that Sam and Tucker had traveled only with Johnny 13.

The threesome came totally in and formed a small semi-circle around the Time Master. "Uhm,…" the biker ghost began, but Sam interrupted him.

"We need to talk to you about something very important!" she said with a very determined tone.

"Oh?" the adult Clockwork uttered in feigned surprise.

"We need to know about Libro!" the girl blurted out, frowning with worry.

"Libro? I am not aware of any 'Libro'", the old man form of Clockwork remarked.

Sam bit her lower lip. "Uhm, he's the Book, you know, **the** Book you gave me during **that **time…"

The young Clockwork raised an eyebrow once more. He knew what she meant, but Johnny 13 just looked back and forth between the two of them, at a complete loss of what the hidden meaning behind their 'code words' could be. The biker ghost looked over to Tucker for help; but the boy, who was listening intensely to Sam and Clockwork, also seemed to be 'in-the-know'. Still confused with the scene, Johnny 13 thought best not to say anything for now.

No one spoke right away again, but then Clockwork silently chuckled at his next thought. '_'Libro'!" _He was amused that the Book had another name. He knew that Sam had given it to him. Finally he frowned sternly, and firmly said, "I cannot tell you any more than what you already know about him."

"But he's in trouble!" Tucker finally blurted out. The anxious and determined tone of his voice was enough to cut through the hesitation among the three visitors.

"And so is my shadow ghost friend Sombre!" Johnny 13 said with pleading eyes.

"And so is Danny!' Sam blurted out in earnest, not sure as to why she had said that. She couldn't possibly know whether he was or wasn't in trouble. He might very well be on his way back. But she frowned with worry over the thought, convinced that she was right and he was in trouble. She sheepishly added, "Uh, I can just feel it."

The oldest form of Clockwork looked at each of them in turn. They certainly were desperate. And he could tell that they were hoping for his help. Still, he hedged, "I cannot interfere…."

But Sam would not be dissuaded and interrupted him. "But you already did when you gave the Book to me! And he's become a good friend to us. And you said so yourself that he was special…And now he's in big trouble, but we don't know why! What would the Spectre want with him? Why did the Spectre capture him?"

The young Clockwork hid well his reaction to her remark. They knew something! The fact that they had even heard of the Spectre was quite a bit of information in itself. But he didn't want to let on, and casually said, "Yes, there certainly are lots of twists and turns in the parade."

"Well, the rain is going to come down hard on **our** parade if we don't get your help!" Tucker quipped back. But his tone was unmistakably a mixture of boldness and dread.

Johnny 13 was impressed by the tenacity of these two young humans. He even wished he could be their friend. And he would never underestimate them again.

Clockwork was also stirred by their doggedness. He always knew they were the perfect friends for the young hero Danny Phantom. He paused in thought and then said. "All right. I will tell you of his—'Libro's'—past, but no more!"

And Clockwork proceeded to tell them about the history of the Spectre. But his version was a mixture of the one told to them by Sombre, Johnny 13 and Phasma.

Sam and Tucker were at first confused at the beginning of this same history lesson. What did the history of the Spectre have to do with Libro? But they listened intently and were partially relieved that Clockwork confirmed the exact same story that Sombre and Johnny 13 had told them except for one little detail that none of the Time Master's visitors knew…

The adult form of Clockwork continued, "So, after Varjo wrestled the power from Ombre, he infected Ombre with the Black Shadow Decay. But though he was infected, Ombre was able to break the amulet into four pieces—a larger piece and three smaller ones…."

So far, the trio knew this.

The older Clockwork added, "But the three pieces were lost and the larger one stayed in Varjo's power…"

The three visitors reflexively exchange surprised glances at each other. How could Clockwork **not** know about the three rings?

The Time Master noticed their reaction but continued just the same, "But though Ombre was dying, he managed to escape from the Spectre realm. But he did not know where he was going, and drifting aimlessly, ended up at the Far Frozen. Frostbite couldn't help him, but was moved with how desperate the Spectre was to return to his home and free his kind and save his family. But he was too weak, to the brink of oblivion, and was not able to return; and Frostbite was desperate with pity for the creature…So, Frostbite then asked for my counsel..."

Sam and Tucker were both aware of a feeling that began to creep up their spines. Could it be?

The adult Clockwork paused again. He had already told them too much.

But that pause was enough to gel everything. Something that had not occurred to Sam and Tucker—and, of course, even Danny at first—since the beginning of this mystery.

Sam thought again how human-like Libro had been. How he was so kind and wise. But what did all this have to do with the Spectre? She jolted a little. Still, Libro seemed to know a **lot **about the Spectre…

And Tucker also thought it strange that Clockwork was so insistent to go over the history of the Spectre. Tucker blinked in disbelief at his next thought. About the odd way Libro had responded to the rings and to any Spectre that was near him. All of a sudden it hit the boy. He had never thought about it until now. Just how did Libro know exactly what to do when fighting the Spectre?

The two teens unconsciously searched for each other's reaction. The look they gave each other told them instantly that they both knew.

"You saved Ombre!" Sam finally blurted out, no longer able to contain herself.

"And you saved him by placing him in the book!" Tucker added, his breathing increasing with the excitement.

Johnny 13 gasped and Clockwork smugly smiled. Yes, these two young humans—along with their superhero friend—were extraordinary! But the Time Master didn't answer their outbursts right away. And he would not tell them that not only were they right, but he had also rescued Libro right out of the very clutches of Varjo just at the moment that Varjo would have destroyed his friend.

But Clockwork's thoughts were interrupted by Tucker when the boy blurted out, "But we know what happened to the rings!"

"What?" the youngest form of Clockwork finally uttered, successfully squelching his knowing smile. They **did** find them!

Sam was quick to jump in. "He means the three smaller pieces from Ombre's amulet. They ended up as rings. Johnny 13 has one and right now, Danny has the other two. And we've been on sorta of a treasure hunt for a long time now, trying to find out about some kind of omen of the Spectre. Something about…."

"A future leader…." the adult Clockwork interrupted.

"Yes!" the girl answered with widened eyes. Even though she knew that Clockwork knew just about everything, she was still awed by it.

"You know who it is, then?" Tucker blurted out. "Is it Danny?"

Old Clockwork's face immediately melded into a 'poker-player' one and he paused. Then he smirked, "Well, isn't that why you are on your 'treasure hunt' as you call it?"

The ghost biker finally spoke, "And that's why we're here, sir. To find the answer. And now that we know that Libro is Ombre, we have to find out where the Spectre are. To find him, Sombre…."

"And Danny!" both Tucker and Sam said in unison.

The trio's faces held hope in them.

"You have done well so far. You will not need my help anymore," the Time Master replied.

All three visitors' faces fell.

"But Libro, I mean, Ombre's your friend, too!" Tucker cried, looking with shocked disbelief at the younger form of the Time Master. He refused to think that Clockwork could be so heartless.

This time, the Time Ghost scowled at the boy in disapproval.

But Tucker didn't back down and actually scowled back. And then it was Sam's turn to be on the offensive, "And we don't know where the Spectre are!"

The old man form of Clockwork kept silent.

The trio looked down at the floor.

Suddenly, Tucker brightened with his idea. Whipping out his PDA, he excitedly said, "Uh, can't you just give us the coordinates to the Spectre realm? We came in the Specter Speeder and I can get us there if we had the coordinates! Then you can turn your back on us and honestly say that you didn't see anything that we did!" The boy winced when he suddenly realized how lame that suggestion probably sounded to the Time Master. Clockwork wouldn't fall for that.

"You must go now," the young Clockwork firmly said, pointing to the door with his Time Staff.

The two humans and ghost nodded in sad agreement, letting their heads fall in obvious dejection. They slowly turned toward the door and started to leave.

But just as Tucker was passing the Time Master, the adult form of Clockwork stopped him by putting his hand on the young teen's shoulder. Tucker looked up at the ghost, and Clockwork gently said, "Don't worry. You'll think of something!"

Tucker silently nodded, though he didn't believe he would think of something. But right after saying that, the oldest Clockwork's hand slid off of the boy's shoulder and accidentally hit the PDA right out of Tucker's hand.

"Sorry!" the young Time Ghost said in apology.

"That's OK," Tucker glumly said as he immediately reached down and picked it up and started after Sam and Johnny 13.

"Good luck!" the adult Clockwork called after him and turned his back to him.

Tucker sadly glanced back at hearing Clockwork's words, and seeing that the ghost was no longer paying attention to him, resumed following the others. The teen had just left the main room when he finally glanced down at his PDA to make sure that it had not been harmed by the fall.

He startled, and then grinned, when he noticed the set of coordinates boldly displayed on the screen.


	47. Chapter 47 At the Crossroads

**A/N: Still with me? Well, here's a recap: Now Danny, Sam, Tucker, and Johnny 13 know that Libro is Ombre. (And since we all know, too, I will still call him "Libro" because I know you know who he is and I want to keep it simple...K?) Now, Danny, Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 are all in earnest to rescue him as well as Sombre. And Sam and Tucker want to find Danny. Solving the mystery will have to wait. But what about the other principle players? What are they doing? Spectro has left the castle on his own mysterious errand, but not before he demanded a P'numbra Parley. And Bhuto? He had returned to the Real World to look for Danny, only to get zapped by Tucker and sent back to the Ghost Zone, but not before he found out that Danny is at that very moment in the Spectre Realm. Phasma is still in turmoil after finding nothing new from Sombre. And Danny is trying to find a way to help Sombre escape from his prison cell. And what is Jiva up to? Well, here is Chapter 47 to help answer a few of those questions...or give you a few more! Remember IDNOAC. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 47—At the Crossroads

Bhuto tried to shake the dizziness out of his head. He was finally regaining his senses after getting shot by Tucker again, this time at Sam's house. He growled with revenge in his heart. That would be the last time he would let that insignificant flesh-blood attack him! But then his mind cleared and he jolted at his next thought: The Phantom-of-the-flesh was in the Spectre Realm? How delicious could that be? The flesh-shadow was bringing himself to the Spectre! Now, all Bhuto would have to do is get to him first. That way he could claim the flesh-shadow as his prize to Jiva.

He pulled out his small amulet from within him and uttered the words that would compel the jewel to guide him home:

"From whence I came  
It matters most  
The place aflame  
With all utmost

Guide me true  
Set my helm  
Take me anew  
To the Spectre Realm!"

The crystal immediately glowed a bright red in response; and in his mind Bhuto instantly knew how to find his way back home. He quickly followed the path, determined all the while to find the Phantom-of-the-flesh first.

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Tucker, Sam and Johnny 13 raced toward the coordinates that Tucker had programmed into the Specter Speeder.

"Can't you make this thing go any faster?" Sam growled to Tucker, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"Even with my PDA's modifications, it's all ready at top speed, Sam! It's just that the Spectre Realm is very, very far away!" he replied with a frustrated shrug.

Sam crossed her arms in frustration, but said no more.

Johnny 13 braved his own response, "Yeah, chick, I'm kinda glad we won't get there too quickly. We don't even, like, have a plan!"

Sam's jolted at first about his comment in calling her a 'chick', but then she jolted more about his second comment. They didn't have a plan! Heck, they didn't even know what they were looking for! "You're right, Johnny, we don't have a plan!" she tersely admitted, but then pointing a finger defiantly at him, she growled, "But if you call me 'chick' one more time…"

Her sudden temper threw the biker ghost off-guard, and he raised his hands up as if in surrender. He looked to Tucker for help, "Gee, dude, is she always like this?"

"You have no idea!"

Thinking that Kitty's quick temper wasn't this bad, he muttered, "Both of you dudes are braver than I thought!"

Sam growled again and stomped to the back of the spacecraft.

After a few moments, Johnny hesitantly said, "Hey, chi-, uhm, Sam. Can I call you 'Sam'?"

She nodded even as she glared at him.

"Hey, I'm sorry, uhm, I called you…chi-…uhm, that. It's just that I'm worried. From what Sombre told me, that's a very terrible place to be for us human ghosts! We can't do much of anything there. And we all would definitely perish there if we didn't have some kind of protection." He stopped and looked at his ring. "Like this ring."

Sam and Tucker silently blinked at the biker ghost. They hadn't thought of that! And they sure hoped that Danny would know to use the rings he had to protect himself.

And Johnny 13 added with a worried frown,"And…it's just that, I'm not sure of this whole thing. I mean, we **don't** have a plan!"

"That never stopped us before," Tucker casually quipped, as he checked over the readings on his PDA.

Johnny 13 blinked at these two young humans. Could they really be this brave under the situation? His admiration for them grew even more, but he nevertheless pressed them. "But, then, don't you, like, think we should?"

Sam finally calmed down and looked at the two males. Johnny 13 was right!

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Phasma was more upset than ever. Not only did he get nothing out of Sombre, but now a P'numbra Parley, a special council of all the Spectre and Elders, had been summoned. He did not know who demanded it, but even so, he was bound by that mystical law. He took out the amulet around his neck. It still glowed a fiery orange-red and would continue to burn with this bright aura until after the Parley. He knew that finding out about the Prophecy's Omen would have to wait for now. But he was also upset that the Elders would have to be made aware of this whole thing. He cursed under his breath. He dreaded that most of all! If only he could control the situation in some way.

He soared over to the gong and violently struck it three times. His room was immediately flooded with all of his servants. They bowed low and shuddered as the Prophecy shrieked, "The Elders! The Spectre! We need to summon them all for the P'numbra Parley! Make haste to ready the room while I find out who demanded such a meeting! But…." His red crown seemed to literally burst into flames with his angry frustration, and the amulet caught fire as well. The servants' eyes were immediately captured by the same magical blaze and they stood mesmerized.

Phasma looked at them in surprise. He had not meant to put them under his control. But then he thought it was fate. He hissed, "Yes, make ready! But do it in secret! And only let the Elders know about. But be sure not to tell them _**what**_ the meeting is about. And we can wait. It will summon the Spectre at the last minute. Do not let any Spectre know of your mission!"

He released them from the spell and the servants shivered in fearful obedience. They immediately exited the room. And they hurried to prepare the room and alert only the Elders of a mysterious meeting—all of it done, of course, in secret as they were commanded.

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Jiva walked over to Libro. He was still bound by the red strands she had taken from her crown of red flames. But she didn't know that he had finally recovered from Bhuto's blow and that he was fully aware of what was happening.

"Are you awake, little book?" she sweetly cooed. But she didn't wait for any response. She quickly produced a red claw and slowly dug it into its covers. She continued to coo, but this time it was through gritted teeth. "You will do as I say, or else there will be much more persuasion such as this for you!"

Libro shuddered, confused as to why he could feel the pain. But suddenly a red glow materialized again around him a few moments after Jiva's talon touched him.

Jiva gasped, and pulling away once more, thought, "_What is this magic? This is the third time this has happened when I touched that thing! But it does not matter! Once I get the Phantom and the amulet, the book will serve me nevertheless." _

And suddenly, Libro was aware of a strangely familiar echo in his mind.

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Danny crept along the shadows of the prison once he had phased out of Sombre's prison cell. He looked around, searching for a place to transform back into his ghostly form. All he could see was a diffuse, dull light that had somehow wrestled itself from the darkness that otherwise penetrated the area. It was almost as bright as the outside dusk-like light. But then, as he slinked further, he could make out a long, grey corridor that fell into total blackness at the end. He chuckled under his breath, "At least I can see something instead of nothing, even if that something is nothing I can really see,... uhm, or something like that!" He inched along, concentrating with his sight and hearing. After he had repeated his movements for a few more yards, he was satisfied that at least no one seemed to be in the area. He turned and headed back to the darker area near Sombre's cell.

As he crept back, Danny was even more aware of his surroundings. The dungeon was even hotter and the air thicker than the cell or outside the castle. Even his human form could not shield him from all the effects the realm had on his ghost half. But most of all, because he was an ghost with ice powers, the effects were harsher. Danny found himself breathing heavier; and sweat readily dripped down his face. But the boy was glad that at least he could see—well, sort of, because his eyes still burned, not only from the stagnant air, but also now from the perspiration. But then, he jumped at the sudden light that just brushed his detection immediately below him. He jolted his gaze downward and saw the ring! He sighed in relief at first before his next thought, _"Better not take any chances. It's just that it's so dark down here, this ring might as well be a lighthouse!"_ He knew he couldn't take it off without suffering even more than he was, but he quickly turned it around as he had done before, so that his fisted hand could shield the dungeon from its light.

Deciding that he could now risk it, the boy pressed himself into the darkest corner he could find and morphed into Phantom. He flew upward and waited a few moments, concentrating on his surroundings. He sighed a little. It seemed that no one had noticed. The corner had done its job of absorbing most of his transformation light. Then, getting more ready, he turned on his Blazers. Thank goodness his parents—well, his mom anyway—hadn't put any lights on it—well, unless, of course, he had to use them.

He floated down the grey hallway, headed to wherever it would lead him. He could only hope that he would find the guard with the keys, or better yet, find the keys alone. As he strained with ears and eyes for any sign of life he might encounter, he drew closer to the black hole at the end of the corridor. Just as he was about to penetrate it, he heard the click of a latch and low murmurs closer than he thought they should be. The startled boy darted upward to the ceiling, chiding himself with the sudden memory, _"Oh man, that's right! My ghost sense isn't working! You need to remember that from now on, Fenton, and be extremely careful!" _Naturally, he was still not use to it.

The young hybrid pressed himself into the shadows of the ceiling right above the doorway just as two Spectre guards oozed out of the blackness. He stifled a gasp when he heard the distinct sound of clinking metal as the Spectre passed under him. One of them had to have the keys!

"_Only two. That shouldn't be so bad,"_ the boy thought as he checked each Blazer and knew by their sunken buttons that they were still on. He adjusted the parameters and said to himself, _"But I better make sure that they're the only ones for now."_

He dove into the open black doorway and encountered another dark hall. He hugged the wall just in case a shadow ghost would be traveling through this section. He felt discouraged that even his ghostly vision wasn't working as well in here. In fact, his eyes still stung from the hot, thick air. He jolted a little with the realization that his ghostly vision was actually getting worse than when he first entered the Spectre realm. _"Oh, great,"_ he thought. _"Maybe it wasn't such a good thing to have Frostbite tell me all those things about my powers. Ignorance might have been bliss….or not."_ He pulled in a deep, labored breath again and tried to blink away the haziness in his vision.

It was so dark that Danny could barely make out this area. He reflexively wiped his sweating brow with the back of his open hand. He had to fight the feeling of doubt that seemed to reach out at him from the shrouded emptiness. He progressed a little farther and then saw a small square of slightly brighter light ahead. He hurried his pace a little, but not by much. He finally could make the outline of a closed door; the dull light had shown through its barred glass window. He dared not look out. But he pulled on the door a little and checked its latch. It was locked.

"_Good! That will dampen any sound at least! And thank goodness there doesn't seem to be any other shadow ghosts around. Time to double back and get the keys_!" He wiped the sweat off his forehead again and headed back.

Danny returned as he came, hugging the wall until he saw the barely lighter hallway near Sombre's cell just ahead. He then soared to the ceiling and moved along it, straining for any hint of the sound of the keys.

He hurried his pace a little and finally was rewarded for his efforts. He could hear clinking metal! It was faint, but definitely there. He looked ahead. He had just passed Sombre's cell and stopped, cocking his head to try to locate the sound. He cupped his ear. The sound was coming from an even darker section just a bit further down from Sombre's cell.

Danny plunged right into the blackness and immediately wished he hadn't. The hot air in here was even more stifling and he struggled to control his breathing. The ring glowed even more trying to protect him and the sweat began to pour into his already stinging his eyes. He had to get out of there and wait for the shadow ghosts to return to the area where Sombre's cell was. But before he turned back, he unconsciously wiped his brow with the back of his open right hand. The one that bore the ring.

He gasped at the sudden small amount of light that flooded out of his hand and chided himself as he instantly fisted his hand even tighter than before to drown it out. He turned around and started to head back….

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As they turned the corner, coming back from their rounds, the Spectre guard who had the keys stopped in his tracks.

"What is wrong, Hantu?" his companion asked, looking right at him.

"I think I just saw some light over there! Did you not also see it, Schatten?" the guard said, pointing in the direction of where Danny was.

"You have been down here too long!" Schatten said, brushing off his companion's worry.

"Wait, look!" Hantu insisted.

Then Schatten saw it. Another shadow. But it was much too small to be one of their guards. He nodded a signal to Hantu. He knew that Hantu could not go investigate, as the noise of the keys would give him away.

Hantu hurriedly acknowledged Schatten's code; and just as quickly Schatten left him, and flew off to check out that shadow...

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Danny looked ahead. He was anxious to get out of this area. One moment he saw the lighter grey hallway nearing him but then saw total blackness the next. He frantically thought, _"Oh, man, what happened? Did they turn off what little of what you would call 'light'? I can't see a thing!" _But then he had another thought_. "I better hug the ceiling again, just in case…"_

But he didn't get to finish his last thought. He had bumped right into the Spectre guard called Schatten. The boy didn't know that the two shadow guards had seen the light from his ring, and that shadow ghosts could see through darkness as easily as humans saw through daylight.

Schatten's eyes flared in red anger and he immediately emitted a loud screech in warning and alert.

"_So much for the 'stealth' approach,"_ Danny thought as he instantly responded with a blast from both of his Blazers. As the shadow ghost fell senseless, the boy stifled his sigh, relieved that this time they did their job in enhancing the weak ectoplasmic energy beam that he had produced.

But he knew that the Blazer's light gave the his position away and before he could search through the utter blackness for the other guard which the boy also knew had to be nearby, Danny found himself pinned against the wall, struggling with the Spectre who had the keys.

The young teen pushed back with all his might and managed to shove the Spectre away. He didn't hesitate to dart toward the area that held more light. Just as he did, he violently twisted his body tightly back toward his foe in a counterattack, shooting at Hantu with his Blazers. But he missed; and the creature aimed with his own black ray. Danny gasped and instinctually produced a weak ice shield, which instantly shattered with the blow. But it was enough to deflect the black ray so that it just grazed the top of his shoulder.

The injury, thankfully, was very minor this time. Danny was able to fight the familiar cold sense of dread, even if the blow was enough to set him slightly off-balance, as he drifted into the lighter area. Hantu took advantage of the boy's misstep and charged the boy with his long sharp blades, ready to do battle. Danny, forgetting about his Blazers in his slight confusion, answered with his own wulf claws and both their talons clashed just before the Spectre's rapiers could strike.

Danny grunted as he pushed the Spectre off and slashed wildly at the guard when the shadow ghost renewed his attack. But the guard met him forcibly back and the sound of their intense blows clanged even louder than the rattling keys that swung violently at the Spectre guard's side.

Every one of the Hantu's thrusting swipes was met with a counterblow by the boy. Danny tried to ignore the fact that his lungs were stinging with the effort and that his head was still spinning. And he knew he was tiring much more rapidly than he would have in the other Ghost Zone or in the Real World. But he still fought on. He reflexively twisted his body in both evasive and counterattack moves as they struggled, all the while effectively blocking Hantu's claws at every turn.

The shadow guard was impressed with how quick and lithe this flesh-shadow was considering how hard his opponent was breathing and how obviously more difficult it was becoming for the flesh-creature to counter his aggressive attack. Getting encouraged that his foe was weakening, Hantu pressed more forcefully with each thrust, but then grunted with aggravation when the flesh-shadow wouldn't give up.

Finally, while the boy still fought not to buckle under his mounting fatigue or his foe, the more experienced shadow ghost managed to force him closer to the wall, pushing with such force that his blades were now digging under Danny's chin. In spite of the searing pain in his lungs and now at his throat, the boy instinctively grabbed the claws and tried to pull them away.

Confident in his apparent victory, Hantu sneered as he held his still struggling victim. Danny wondered why he could feel the creature's hot breath on his cheek just like he had when he had encountered Sombre. But he could not have known that in this land, the Spectre actually _breathed_, but not for the want of oxygen. The air was so thick that, like the castle itself, it was neither solid or shadow, and yet, really both... And because the air in the castle was more tangible, the Spectre were able to make the air move, either by their movements of their bodies or when they spoke.

"Pitiful flesh-shadow!" the shadow ghost hissed through angry fangs. "I do not know how you entered here or why you have not succumbed to the elements yet! But it does not matter. The Spectre are superior to all! You will now feel the sting of my might!"

He raised a blade from his other hand back for the final blow. But that was enough to totally clear the boy's mind and Danny screamed in defiance as he finally remembered his Blazers. The force of his intense ectoplasmic energy from both of his hands slammed the shadow ghost against the opposite wall. The blow jerked the keys away from the guard's side as he fell senseless to the ground, and Danny gasped all the while watching the trajectory of the keys. Making a metallic scraping sound as they quickly slid across the floor, the keys finally disappeared into a narrow slit in the wall nearby.

Slightly relieved that he knew where the keys were, and ignoring the difficult time he was having in slowing his breathing, Danny soared downward toward where he had seen the keys go. He was just about to revert back to his human form in order to phase through the wall to retrieve them when a black ray struck the very same wall, barely missing the boy.

Danny jumped back away from the wall and gasped. He turned to face who had sent that ray and could make out several Spectre who had finally come to investigate the alarm and noise. Their arms were aimed and ready to fire at him. Without hesitating, Danny backed up and slid sideways against the wall, wedging himself against it. He shot back at them with the force of the Blazer with his left hand while charging a weak ectoplasmic shield with his right. Several Spectre went down under the boy's attack. He fired again while retreating even more. However, in his haste to defend himself, he didn't realize in the darkness that he was no longer in front of the same part of the wall that cradled the slit that hid the keys.

This time, several more of the Spectre shot back at once, hitting the boy's shield. It quickly buckled under the intense blow before pushing him even farther from that same wall. But the Blazer had given the shield enough power to protect the boy from the rays themselves. Danny yelped as he heard the sound of several Spectre talons being unsheathed and other beams being charged up. He fired a volley of more blasts from his Blazers which hit his marks. But it was not enough. In desperation, Danny concentrated and drew in as much of his breath as he could. And just before he purposely transformed back into his human form and phased through the wall, he let out his ghostly wail. It, of course, was not as powerful as it should be. But it was enough to stop the Spectre's own attack on him. He heard the rumble of more black seals assaulting the same wall where he had just been, not at all aware that the aims were wild, as the force of the ghostly wail had rendered the beams useless and bombarded the remaining Spectre to senselessness. Danny had, in fact, successfully defeated all of his attackers before he had made his escape.

Danny gulped in exhaustion and in defeat outside the castle. He didn't get the keys!

But what the boy also didn't know was that the keys had slid under the small crack in the door of the cell that held Sombre.


	48. Chapter 48 Precarious Convergences

**A/N: So far: Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 are racing to the Spectre realm. Danny searches for the keys, fights two Spectre that had the keys, and then narrowly escapes after being attacked by even more Spectre. He doesn't know that the keys have slid into Sombre's cell after all. Well, we're caught up to speed with everyone. The roller coaster is about to spin and nearly collide, starting with this chappie! Let's see what happens, shall we? Now, here is Chapter 48. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 48—Precarious Convergences

"Oh, man, you blew it, Fenton! The keys were behind the **other **wall!" Danny harshly chided himself as he floated outside the castle. But then he suddenly noticed that the wind was quickly pushing him away from the castle. He concentrated, and was glad to find that even after using his ghostly wail, he was able to change into his ghost form again without difficulty. He figured that he must be getting more control of that power. He then uttered, "I've got to find another way to get back there!"

Still, the young hybrid hesitated on his next plan as he continued to float outside the castle. What was he going to do?

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Bhuto's amulet had led him directly to the Spectre Realm. The shadow ghost knew where he would go from here! As he scanned the area, his acute eyesight spied the castle in the near distance. He smiled and continued forward, but then suddenly halted his flight...

What was that flash of bluish-white light on the eastern side of the castle? He continued forward again and quickened his pace. Then he saw him. The Phantom-of-the-flesh! He didn't question how he could come upon the Phantom so easily or quickly, or why the flesh-creature wasn't affected by the elements. Bhuto was just glad that the fates had favored him. The shadow ghost reached for and looked down at his amulet. He still had plenty of power left! But he had to act quickly and couldn't permanently injure the flesh-shadow or the Princess would have his own head.

The Spectre increased his speed, hoping that he would be swift enough so that the flesh-shadow wouldn't be warned first by his special power. And just when Bhuto felt he was as close as he dared, he fired his red-and-black ray right at the unsuspecting boy.

And unsuspecting was right.

Because Danny's ghost sense wasn't working, he didn't even know Bhuto was there, let alone realize how close the ghost was to him. However, upon hearing a strange sound fast approaching him, Danny quickly turned; but it was too late, and the attack hit him in the head. Luckily, he had turned enough for the beam to only graze him, but even then, its power succeeded in knocking him out cold as it was intended to do. However, as what happened each time he was in the Ghost Zone, Danny did not revert back to his human form after being incapacitated, and floated helplessly where he had been hit.

Delighted at first that he finally had the Phantom-of-the-flesh where he wanted him, Bhuto gasped when he noticed the wind had also captured the boy and was pushing him away from the castle. The shadow ghost charged right up to the senseless ghost boy, and now relieved that he had him, sighed as he threw him over his shoulder and headed straight to the castle's entrance. He was anxious to get to the Princess' chambers.

But he did not notice the dully glowing jewel still hidden within the palm of Danny's partially closed hand. It had momentarily shown more brightly when Danny had been attacked, protecting him from the full effects of Bhuto's blow.

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Looking right back at the biker ghost, Sam finally said, "But you're right, Johnny! We have to have a plan! But first,…"

"Look!" Tucker abruptly interrupted, pointing excitedly, "What's that up ahead?"

Sam and Johnny 13 turned to where the boy was pointing to. They could see the hideous castle coming rapidly upon them. They had been moving with such speed, and so sidetracked in their conversation, that they had not noticed that they had crossed the border of the Spectre Realm quite a while ago. Tucker immediately pushed a button on his PDA and the Specter Speeder slowed to a crawl and then became _invisible._ But Sam and Johnny 13 didn't notice that change. Their eyes were glued to their surroundings. They could see how bleak the realm looked and how much more starkly the castle jutted out of the surrounding desolation.

As they flew nearer to it, the castle didn't look any more inviting. "Our friends are in there?" Johnny 13 gulped and Tucker swallowed hard as well.

"Yeah, of course they are!" Sam dryly said, still looking outside. "I mean, where else could they be? Just look all around! Everything else is so barren."

All three silently scanned their surroundings as their spaceship plugged forward. The Spectre Realm seemed so hostile, so empty, so angry with its stark colors, violent lightening and crashing clouds….They all suddenly had a feeling that they knew how it felt to be lost at sea in a raging storm, tossed aimlessly in uncharted waters. The thought sent a shiver up their spines. They could feel the waves of despair washing over them and their spaceship, threatening to swallow them in this menacing, turbulent ocean they threw themselves in. The castle had been at least one beacon of dim hope, as if it were a spotted ship on the barren horizon. But it was merely a ghost ship, baiting them to their doom, a lure to trap them inside the putrid stomach of this giant angry whale as it hungrily sat waiting for them. Painfully aware of being enveloped within the reds, grays and blacks of this malevolent land, they could now empathize with how Jonah felt inside the belly of his whale. And they knew if they were here too long, they, too, would be sucked into the surrounding despair.

Sam swallowed hard and turned away from the now invisible window, searching for the confidence she hoped to find from her companions. But when she startled at not seeing them, she unconsciously let out a gasp.

Johnny 13 looked away from the window and toward her voice, and also gasped when he didn't see either of the humans.

Tucker's voice responded, "What's wrong, Sam?"

"I can't see you or Johnny!" her voice answered him. That made her more apprehensive.

The boy chuckled in self-satisfaction and said, "Yeah, isn't that _so_ _cool_? Just another little feature on this even _cooler_ little PDA! I thought it best that we not 'announce' our presence. After all, the Specter Speeder would stick out like a sore thumb in this place!"

Sam smiled weakly but Tucker didn't see that.

Then Johnny 13's voice sighed as it said, "At least that's good news in this 'bad news' kind of place."

Coming back to the situation and trying to bolster their hopes, Sam quietly told them, "But there's still more 'good news'! Tucker and I will be able to phase right through the castle walls." But her tone betrayed her. She was having a hard time being hopeful herself.

"But the 'bad news' is that you won't be able to, dude," Tucker informed the ghost.

"NO, there's still some 'good news'," Johnny 13 said with a wry smile, which, of course, they didn't see. He concentrated and his ring glowed. In the next instant, he became visible!

"How did you do that?" Tucker asked. "I thought you said that human ghosts couldn't do much of anything here."

"Yeah, I did! But gee, dude, haven't you and...uhm,…Sam figured out yet that the rings had **lots** more power than just acting like translators? I'm disappointed with you both!" But his smile told the teens that he was kidding them. He became invisible once more and informed them, "And I can also turn intangible with the ring!"

Even though he couldn't see them, the humans smiled back and Sam's voice wryly said, "I think….that **now** we have a plan."

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Sombre heard the commotion outside his cell but grunted in frustration. He couldn't see what was going on! But he could guess from all the noise that Danny was under attack.

"The ring! Use the ring, boy!' he desperately yelled, but no one could hear him above the din.

Sombre flitted anxiously in his cell, searching for some kind of weakness in it that would yield to his strength. But he found none. He soared over to the door and struck it violently with his fists in frustration, but again, no one heard him above all the clamor of Danny's fight with the other Spectre.

Finally, Sombre slid down the wall nearest the door in defeat, and just before he let his head drop, he heard and saw a set of keys slide under the door through its slit.

The shadow ghost smiled in triumph, silently thanking the boy. He quickly grabbed the keys, and tightening his fist firmly around them, knew what he needed to do...

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Spectro finally returned from his errand. He entered the castle the same way as he had left it. In silence and in secret.

Fortunately for him, there was so much covert activity in the castle during the entire time that he was gone that Phasma was having a hard time finding even his servants, much less Spectro.

Seeing that he had not been missed, Spectro steeled himself. He would be ready for the P'numbra Parley. Yes, he would be ready for everything. But, he first needed to know about the prisoner they had captured when they were last in the Flesh-Plane.

He quickly headed toward the soldiers' quarters. The entrance to the dungeon was at the far end of that same room. But when he entered the area, he found it strange that there was not a single soldier in it.

Suddenly, he understood why. He heard the yelling and sound of Spectre black seals coming from within the dungeon! But then he heard other strange noises. He knew that sound. That was no Spectre soldier! Those were the blasts of flesh-shadow ectoplasmic energy rays! The prisoner must have found help in his escape! But how? No flesh-shadow could survive here. And now, what was that stranger sound? Like a howl!

He hurried downstairs to investigate, ready to strike with his own black seal rays.


	49. Chapter 49 Turning Up the Heat

**A/N: Are your heads spinning yet? Well, it ain't over yet! So far: With Danny's indirect help, Sombre has gotten the keys. Sam, Tucker, and Johnny 13 prepare to enter the castle, searching for and hoping somehow to rescue their friends, not knowing that Danny has been captured by Bhuto. Spectro has been having his own kind of mystery and has just returned to find what he thinks is a prison break-out. Now what? Well, here is Chapter 49. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 49—Turning up the Heat

By the time Spectro had arrived at the bottom of the dungeon, he no longer heard any racket. He quickened his pace; and as he delved further downward, he began to see rows of senseless soldiers lying strewed about. He hurriedly checked them over and saw that they had only been knocked out. But he couldn't attend to them just yet. He searched around, ready for some kind of attack. But as the minutes ticked by, and hearing nothing that indicated otherwise, he concluded that whatever attacked his soldiers was now gone. He flew over to the prisoner's cell and checked the door. It was still locked. He opened a small hatch in the door and peeked in. He sighed in relief. The prisoner was still there.

As he shut the little door, he called to the rousing soldiers, "All right, get up! And get back to your posts!"

The soldiers gasped in fear, and bowing very low in submission, quickly backed up and skirted away.

But Spectro shouted out to one of the shadow ghosts, "Geist! Come here!"

"My liege," Geist said with a low trembling bow. "We are disgraced! We have failed the Spectre. We were overcome by a flesh-shadow!"

"A flesh-shadow?" Spectro answered, feigning surprise. "What flesh-shadow?"

"I remember him as the same one who attacked us at that Flesh-Plane town that while ago. The one that the castle has been calling the 'Phantom-of-the-flesh'!" the fearful soldier said.

Spectro's eyebrow arched up in honest surprise this time. So, the name had finally circulated throughout the realm. And he thought he had recognized the sound of that ectoplasmic ray. But how could he even be here? "Impressive!" he muttered under his breath, but barked to the soldier, "That is all! Now get back to your station!"

Geist sighed in relief but accidentally blurted out, "But are we not going to be punished?"

"Of course not," Spectro said, his voice suddenly turning soft, which surprised the soldier. Geist had expected a sharp, much-deserved reprimand for his foolish audacity in questioning a superior.

Spectro continued, "You did your best I am sure; and, obviously, the flesh-shadow did not get what he came for. You all did your job. Sometimes our enemies win skirmishes. But we will find the Phantom and win the battle! Now, go back to your post."

"My liege," Geist said with a low, awestruck bow. Though underneath he was relieved, he thanked the fates for being able to avoid the wrath of his commander.

Spectro looked toward the prisoner's cell in thought, but then turned and headed back upstairs.

Soon, it would be the time.

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Sombre waited a few more minutes, hoping that the quiet had decided to stay. But just as he was about to unlock the door, he heard a sound echo in the corridor…Then something was checking the cell's door! He hurried to a corner, quickly hiding the keys within him just as he heard a small door slide open within the larger door. He dared not look at who it was. But he stifled a sigh when the little hatch slid back and the door remained silent.

Then he heard a voice say, "All right, get up!" And then he heard the conversation between Spectro and Geist, though he did not recognize who those two Spectre were.

Finally, all the Spectre soldiers left and all was quiet again. Sombre decided that it was safe to try again, and he unlocked the door.

The door creaked in objection and its cry echoed down the corridor. Sombre stopped in fear, ready to retreat. But he then sighed in relief when no one responded to it. He could not risk taking the keys with him, or having them discover right away that he was missing. He shut the door and locked it again before sliding the keys under the door the same way they had come in.

He ducked from shadow-to-shadow, using the talent he had perfected from blending into the smallest of shadows in the Real World. He hoped his mastery of this skill would keep him from being detected by the other Spectre.

As he inched his way upward toward the soldier's quarters, two guards sloppily opened a door just ahead. Sombre immediately pressed himself into the nearest darkened corner just as they passed within inches of him. He sighed in relief. All that practice he had done in the Real World had finally paid off! He had completely melded into one with the shadows and had gone undetected.

Sombre hugged the walls as he floated closer to the entrance of the dungeon. He cautiously peeked out of the small barred window that was in the bosom of the door. Not too many guards. But where to hide? He scanned the area, but only saw tiny pockets of shade in the lighter room. He had never tried to squeeze against as small of shadows as they before. He groaned in discouragement.

Suddenly, a Spectre burst into the guards' post and yelled, "Come quickly! The Princess has need of us!"

The group of soldiers immediately followed the messenger. This was Sombre's chance. He turned the door handle and was thrilled. The guards had not yet thought to lock it after their encounter with Phantom!

He darted out. He concentrated with all his might, trying to will his memories back into focus after so long a time of disuse. He had to find the room. He **had **to! He concentrated even harder and disjointed pictures flashed within his mind. Finally, they rested on what he desired. He knew the way!

And without further delay, he headed in that direction.

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"OK, we're going to have to be extra careful, since we have no idea where we're going once we get inside the castle. Danny, Libro and Sombre could be anywhere—or nowhere-in it," Sam said.

The boy and the ghost nodded, just as the girl saw a large, floating Spectre shelf with only a huge boulder on it some distance from the castle. She pointed past them, and added," And we're going to start by hiding the Specter Speeder over there! We can't go up charging right up to the castle."

"Uh, where, Sam?" Tucker asked, having no idea what she meant, of course, because they were all still invisible.

She looked at him and instantly winced, "Uh, I knew we were still invisible! Uh, it's over there to our sorta left, the shelf with the large boulder on it!" She was glad that he couldn't see her blush in embarrassment from her gaffe.

"Oh, OK. Now I see it!" his voice said.

Tucker pushed a button on his PDA and the spacecraft veered toward the shelf. Just as they landed behind the boulder, Tucker punched on his PDA again and the Speeder rematerialized.

As soon as the Speeder landed behind the boulder, Sam handed Johnny 13 a wrist ray gun, just before she strapped her own on.

"What's this for?" he asked, looking queerly at it. He had never used a ghost weapon in his entire afterlife.

Sam explained, "Well, even though they probably won't stop the Spectre, it might distract them enough for Tucker to zap them."

"I don't think I'll need it," the biker ghost casually answered her as he handed the weapon back to her. She looked at him, bewildered by his remark, but still placed the wrist ray gun on one of the seats. But before she could say anything, he showed her his hand and remarked, "I'll just use this ring. It'll be able to subdue them."

Sam and Tucker's mouths dropped in surprise.

"Why didn't you tell us all about the ring before?" Tucker asked.

He replied with a sheepish shrug, "Well, really 'cause of two reasons. One: it would have alerted the Spectre if I ever used it for anything but translating what Sombre said. Even now, I'm not sure if the fact that it protects me from this land that they don't already know we're here. And two: I was scared to use its full powers. I've cheated before, when I tried to, like,…" He suddenly laughed nervously, and continued, "...Uhm, when I tried to use the little man's sister to help Kitty…But I'm sure you know all about that! When Sombre found out about it all in the end, he was livid that I used it in that way. I didn't know how much danger I had put both of us when I didn't think it through. Since then, I was scared to use its powers again."

Sam and Tucker looked at each other and smirked back at him. "So you're not scared now?" Tucker asked the biker ghost.

"Heck, yeah! It's just that now I know that **now** is the time. After all the fear and waiting Sombre and I've gone through all these years, it has to be! Besides, as everything now stands, it looks like I have no other choice."

He looked in earnest at the two humans.

Steeling herself as well, Sam said, "Now, we'll need to search the castle room by room, so we can't hesitate to act if we need to, OK?"

The boy and ghost nodded in determination, and Tucker added, "And Sam, you need to keep close to us, OK? I mean, since you really don't have any powerful defense weapons."

Sam nodded, though she wasn't happy at all about being so defenseless. And she was suddenly worried about Danny and Libro.

"OK, then, are we ready?" Johnny 13 said, surprising the two teens that he would be the one who would encourage them to get going.

"Not quite," Sam answered, pulling out the miniature gabberettes from a small drawer in the spaceship's cabin. She handed a set to Tucker just before she put her pair in place. Then she pulled open another drawer and took out the dark red stone out it. She gave it to Tucker, who promptly put it into one of the pockets of his cargo pants, and then put his PDA into another pocket. "OK. Now we are."

Tucker opened the hatch and Johnny 13 floated outside. He was alarmed how much he had to fight the hot, pulsating wind which suddenly and loudly buffeted him. He felt his eyes and ears instantly sting against the blow, but he steeled himself against it and squelched his frown. But then, suddenly, the ring burned a little brighter and he felt normal again. He smiled in relief. And then, trying to make his smile look encouraging, he turned back to the humans. But then, he startled at what he saw. Sam and Tucker were staring wide-eyed as they watched the red fog-like air ooze into their cabin through the newly opened hatch, penetrating the area as if it were a determined red ameba about to envelop its prey.

Not a moment later and the two teens were coughing on the thick air and choking on the putrid smell that seemed to ram up their noses.

Johnny 13 twisted his face in alarm. Now the two humans were sweating from the penetrating heat and reflexively rubbing their stinging eyes.

"Man, is this how it is here?" Tucker managed to blurt out between coughs.

"I can't believe it! This is like some freakin' cesspool!" Sam agreed, trying to prevent herself from coughing. But she quickly failed and coughed more violently on the dense air.

Johnny 13 froze in panic. Now what was going to happen? Were they going to have to turn back?

But when the cabin was fully fumigated with the Spectre air, Sam and Tucker actually stopped coughing. But their breathing changed. It was more labored, but they didn't seem to find it as difficult to breathe as they had in the beginning. They were still sweating and their eyes still stung, but they seemed to have gotten over the initial shock.

Johnny 13 still looked at them, unable to speak. He couldn't turn back, but didn't know if Sam and Tucker could take staying.

The two teens saw his reaction, and after looking at one another in a silent 'conference' of their own, Sam said, "It's all right, Johnny! I think we'll be all right."

"Yeah," Tucker said, trying to assure the ghost. "I think we're over the first blow. But it doesn't feel any worse to me. How about you, Sam?"

"No, it's not worse. But it _does _feel very uncomfortable!" But when she noticed Johnny 13's face falling with dread again, she quickly added, "But it's not that bad, really! You did tell us how it would be like for human ghosts, but, of course, none of us knew how it would feel for _humans _here. I mean, have humans ever been here?"

Johnny 13 finally responded, but his voice cracked with his anxiety, "No, I don't think so. But I had absolutely no idea how badly you could be affected! I mean, you don't have any reaction in the Ghost Zone at all! I'm sorry!"

"It's OK, dude," Tucker assured him again, getting more determined as he thought about what Danny might be going through right now. "Let's just roll with it, OK? Our friends are in trouble!"

"Tucker's right, Johnny!" Sam firmly insisted. She unconsciously took in another long breath and added, "We will be fine, so let's get going, OK?"

Johnny 13 blinked in utter amazement. These two really rocked. He replied, "OK. But let's play it safe and keep intangible and invisible for now. And try to keep a hold of me. The ring should be able to protect all of us." He gulped and added, "I hope." He forced himself to smile encouragingly as he extended his hands toward the humans. Each of the teens grabbed a hold of him and he concentrated. He turned them all invisible and intangible before they could feel the effects of the environment like before, and then all three soared toward the castle. The trio sighed in relief when the ring did its job of protecting them after all**. **

And unbeknownst to the teens and to the biker ghost, Phasma felt a slight tremor in the amulet that hung from his neck at the precise moment that Johnny had willed the ring's power.

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"Put him there!" Jiva said, hardly able to contain her delight now that she was finally victorious. She pointed to a wall close to where Libro still lay bound by the red bands. The wall had obviously been prepared for this occasion. Four ghostly red chains hung from the ceiling and floor that abutted the wall. The chains were thick and strong. They would do what the princess willed.

"He is not damaged?" she said anxiously when she saw Danny's head wound.

"No, Highness! He will recover," Bhuto replied as he removed Danny's Blazers and started to fasten the restraints around the still boy's wrists. He did not notice the ring within Danny's hand as he hurriedly worked. Once the bindings were secure on the prisoner, the shadow ghost let the boy's body go and Danny hung limp against the chains. Bhuto then secured the ankle bindings. When he was finished, he turned toward Jiva, waiting for her to speak.

All the while, Jiva had been silently pondering why the Phantom-of-the-flesh was not as affected by the harsh environment of her world as he should be. But then she smiled admirably. It had to be due to his uniqueness! My! He was more powerful than she had imagined! He had to be the one!

Snapping out of her thoughts, she noticed Bhuto's awaiting stare. She looked at him and frowned in slight irritation. "Well, what are you waiting for? I have almost all I need. You may go!"

"But, Highness? The reward?" he began. He had hoped she would not have forgotten.

She melted a little. She still needed him. "I have not forgotten," she said, and her voice was hypnotic. "I have plans for your reward. It will be beyond your imagination. So, please go, and alert me of anything that requires my immediate attention."

"Highness!" Bhuto excitedly said and quickly exited. He smiled as he left. He knew he would get his! And then he was off to get his troop. He would make sure nothing else would interfere with his future queen's plans.

Just before Jiva floated over to the silent flesh-shadow, she glanced at Libro. She smirked again at her victory. She had almost everything. She had the book. And now the Phantom. She floated right next to Danny and cooed sweetly to him, "Yes, now I have you! All I need is the amulet and then all will be mine!"

She pulled out several strands of red hair from her head and drew even closer to Danny. She touched his shoulder with one of her clawed hands and with the other slowly thrust the now rigid strands into his upper chest.

The boy groaned in pain even though he was still unconscious and Jiva smiled in triumph at the feeling she got under her red talons.

"Now you will be...NO! You **are** mine!" she vowed and her smile turned evil.


	50. Chapter 50 Mental Struggle

**A/N: Sorry I was this late in updating! I forgot to tell y'all that I was out-of-town last weekend! I had LOTS of fun and now I'm back to reality: to my **_**DP**_** reality that is! Ahem….Hmmm… Now where are we? Oh, yeah: With Danny's indirect help, Sombre has gotten the keys and he is out of his prison cell. Sam, Tucker, and Johnny 13 are still preparing to enter the castle, and discover something interesting about Johnny 13's ring. They still don't know that Danny has been captured by Bhuto and is now in the clutches of Jiva for her own evil purposes. Spectro thinks that Sombre has not escaped, and anxiously returns to his post. Is that all better? Are you ready for Chapter 50 to mix you back up? Well, here it goes! And this is another of my personal fav chappies! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 50—Mental Struggle

Invisible and intangible, Sam, Tucker, and Johnny 13 soared towards the castle. But they had randomly chosen the westernmost side of the castle. The exact opposite side from which Danny had entered.

As they searched for a suitable site through which to phase, Sam whispered to Johnny 13, "You don't suppose that we'll be going through the back door?"

"That's just what I'm hoping for, Sam. It's, like, just my style," he replied with a smile. But neither of the teens saw that smile because he had forgotten that they were intangible _and_ invisible to each other. But then he frowned in fear.

When they reached what they thought was a secluded area, the biker ghost whispered, "Is this place OK?"

"As good as any," Sam whispered back.

"I agree," Tucker quietly said.

"OK. Ready then? Let's do it!" Johnny 13 said with a hush.

They all phased through and found themselves at the far wall of what looked like some kind of assembly room. But the huge room was bustling with activity, and the trio could see that it was getting prepared for some kind of event. They had never seen so many Spectre **ever**.

"Uh, don't ya think we should get out of here?" Sam suggested under low breath. "I don't want to become an unintentional 'guest of honor'."

"OK," Johnny whispered and they headed out of the room.

But just as they had phased through the door on the other side, they ironically ran into-—or rather, _went_ _through-_—a large group of Spectre soldiers that were passing the room. But the currently stealth trio was startled by the odd experience. And just as Sam and Tucker were thinking of how grateful they were to be intangible and invisible when this happened, something went wrong.

And in the next moment, when they had phased completely through the group of Spectre, and they were now up against a wall, Johnny 13's skittishness got the best of him. He gasped as he lost his concentration, and in his alarm, accidentally let go of the two teens. And instantly, the humans and the ghost rematerialized.

Now fully exposed to the elements again, Sam and Tucker began gasping and coughing—loudly! The impact this place had on their bodies felt just as if they had really slammed into the brick wall behind them instead of stopping just before it. They felt as if their insides had been turned inside out with the intensity of the heat and the thickness of the air. It was worse here than the outside! And it was worse than a sauna. It was a sauna squeezing the breath out of them.

Johnny 13, however, felt fine under the power of his ring and turning toward his companions, looked anxiously at them.

The Spectre soldiers, alerted by Sam and Tucker's utterances, were flabbergasted as they stared in shock at the intruders. No flesh-creature had ever been in their castle and no flesh-shadow had been there since Ombre and Varjo.

But fortunately, the soldiers' shock gave Tucker enough time to react. Ignoring his coughing and his spinning head, he instinctively stood in front of Sam, whipped out his PDA, and fired at the Spectre so quickly it seemed almost instantaneous.

Johnny 13, seeing how affected Tucker still was and worried that he might succumb to the elements, momentarily forgot about his fears. He quickly pressed himself closer to the boy's side; and whipping his hand forward in attack, fired at the Spectre with his ring. Together, the boy and the ghost were now not only shielding Sam, but were also guarding each other's flank.

The soldiers scattered in every direction as several of them fell senseless from the intruders' attacks. Other Spectre ran away, shouting loud warnings of the trespassers. But it would be some time before the whole castle would be alerted, as the humans and human ghost were discovered in a remote part of the castle.

"Oh, crud, now I've done it!" Johnny 13 lamented as he continued to fire with his ring.

"Don't think about it!...Just keep firing!" Tucker yelled, now doing his best to ignore his difficulty with breathing—though he was glad he had stopped coughing. He fired another round of whitish-green light, and it immediately destroyed the black ray that had come charging at him.

Finally, Sam recovered from her initial reaction to the elements- though she didn't have time to think about why she and Tucker were so affected. She wiped the perspiration that already pressed against her forehead as she quickly turned her head to the sides of the wall they were wedged against. She noticed there were two hallways with doors at the end.

She suddenly heard the sound of other Spectre returning in a counterattack approaching the far door to her right. She jolted her stinging eyes to the left hallway and heard nothing coming out from it-yet. They really had no choice. The hallway to their left would have to be their escape route for now…They needed to chance it—now!

"There!" she screamed above the din, surprised at how much effort it took for her to do just that. "We've got to get going!" Irritated at the pressure she felt in her lungs, she grabbed her companions, and pulled them backward and to their left, trying to get them to stop their fighting enough to flee.

The trio ran as hard as they could toward the door at the end of the hallway that Sam had chosen for them. Sam was the first to reach it and just as she swung it open, a black ray hit her on her wrist. But the seal did not hurt her; instead, the ray gun still around her wrist was destroyed. Tucker swung back around and shot the soldier who had sent it. That shadow ghost fell senseless, and tripped several soldiers that had been right on his heels.

The panting teens and the biker ghost ran inside, slammed the door and locked it tight.

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx_

Meanwhile, back at Jiva's chambers, she was now sure that the red strands from her head had enough time to do what she willed. She closed her eyes and concentrated. And with a vicious smile, she began to weave her web…..

"_You are nothing without me. You are not even a speck on the floor without me. But do not worry. All is not lost because you now belong to me!"_

The hypnotic words echoed in Danny's mind as he slowly began to regain his senses. But he was still not fully conscious, and he groaned with the mental pain.

"_You are only for me. You serve only me. You can not have even one thought unless I will it."_

The soft voice he heard was as clear as if it were whispering its words directly into his ear. But he heard them only in his mind. His body was still completely senseless. And though he felt dizzy, and unsure of what was happening, he was certain that these wicked murmurs were as knives dissecting his thoughts. He instinctively tried to push them away, but felt a sharp pressure dig harder when he did. Suddenly, he buckled, helpless to even try to push them away again.

"_Yes, you are helpless. Empty. Lost. You do not even know who you are unless I tell you. Such a pity, unless you let me help you!"_

As the boy tried to clear his head, he shivered in fear at the sound of the words. He slowly—-but mentally-—moaned from the dizziness, _"Where am I? I __**do**__ feel so empty! And so alone! Why is it so dark?" _

The gem of the ring hidden deep in his still closed hand then glowed a little fiercer and the boy was surprised. He was actually **aware **of the same sense of doubt and mental chaos that he had experienced in his past encounters with a Spectre's seal. He had **never** been aware of these effects before. He was usually totally confused and controlled by them. But not this time. He tried to think how this could be, but suddenly felt a little dizzier.

Jiva, however, was not concerned over the fact that he was aware of his own mental turmoil. She knew from her past attempts he would be difficult to control. He was most unique and powerful. But she mentally smiled. She was actually delighted with the challenge. He would be perfect after she was done with him. Conquering him would be an even sweeter victory.

"_Yes! Darkness __**will**__ consume you, and you will be utterly lost to everything unless you come to me."_

The voice, its tone dripping with a mixture of honey and vinegar, sent at shiver through his body; and he suddenly felt as if his dazed mind would be sucked into the impending despair the voice was forcefully driving into it. He wasn't even sure if the haunting voice was male or female. Or if it were merely his own mind playing tricks on him. He found himself silently muttering, _"Maybe it's right. I-I don't like being here. I-I don't like feeling this lost! And all this darkness is creepy."_

'_You are right, dearest. But listen to me. You must give in to me or you will be forever loss in all that darkness, consumed by all your confusion and doubt!" _

Danny hesitated. Was the soft hypnotic voice right? A creeping sense of dread started to take a hold of him, and the mental onslaught was painful. He suddenly felt enveloped by doubt and hopelessness as if they were alive and had been crouching nearby the whole time, eager to feed on him. He felt totally alone. And then, his mind was unexpectedly flooded with all the insecurities of the past, especially his fight with the future Phantom…and his fight with Sam.

Jiva didn't care who that strong creature the boy feared was. It didn't matter. But it was clear to her that the boy was uncertain about the creature and that his insecurity about it picked at his mind. She knew she could take full advantage of his quandary...

"_Yes, I feel you yielding…weakening with your doubt. I see how fearful you are of that mighty foe…That you feel so powerless against him. Tsk. Tsk. Do you not understand, then? Without me, he will conquer you! Without me, you __**are**__ powerless! Such a pity, then, that that terror, that creature you fear, will take you over unless you cling to me! _

The voice was so convincing to the boy. He shivered again.

"_I don't understand,"_ Danny whimpered in his mind, as he felt the sting of Jiva's mental knives as they continued to delve. Still, he doubted _**what**_ _**he**_ was thinking about the alternate Phantom. These thoughts could not be his own! He had come to terms with that alternate future! He had gotten stronger and more convinced of his feelings about his evil self from their last encounter. He was no longer afraid of becoming him! He asked himself, _"How can this be happening? These thoughts are __**not **__mine! This can't be real!" _

"_It __**is**__ real, dearest, but I can make you powerful again against all your foes. You must take a hold of my hand,"_ the voice gently insisted.

Danny became more confused as he felt the presence of a hand reaching for him. But he instinctively recoiled from it. But he didn't know why he did. And he didn't know why he suddenly wanted that hand to belong to Sam. But it couldn't be hers….And then he felt his mind sliced open again, and his anxieties over his past fight with Sam bombarded him.

Jiva startled at these new thoughts. What? These were stranger feelings. Stronger ones, she could tell, as she continued to probe his thoughts about that flesh-girl. This time, she suddenly growled in _her_ thoughts, upset by his even thinking about that insignificant flesh-creature. But then, she smiled in her mind as she felt Danny's insecurities over his girlfriend surface. She quickly sent her thoughts to him, _"Anger, frustration, and….what is this feeling? I do not know it! But it is powerful." _She stopped. She **did** know this feeling. She had felt the same when she had just growled. When she realized that he was thinking about the flesh-girl. She did not know if it even had a name, but she **did** know the emotion. But she didn't care if the humans or any other creature had given it the name called 'jealousy'. She would use it to finally make him yield.

"_Ah, my poor dearest, she has pierced you!" _Jiva's thoughts said sympathetically. _"She does not understand you. How you feel about things. She has made you burn with a very unsettling feeling. How __**dare**__ she? But then again, how can she be expected to do otherwise? She is but a flesh-creature!" _

"_Flesh-creature?"_ Danny echoed in his mind. He had heard that before. He tried to search his mind where when Jiva interrupted him.

"_And flesh-creatures have the most distasteful habits. She has wicked feelings toward you, and prefers the company of others instead of you. They are all unworthy of your attention."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about," _Danny interrupted back, still trying to make his mind focus enough to figure out what the voice meant by 'flesh-creature'.

"_I think you do," _Jiva's mind insisted_. "She is your pet. The one who has made you confused about all of your feelings. The one who purposely hid things and who did not care how it tore at you. She did not trust you. You do not deserve to be treated so disdainfully."_

Then Jiva heard a real groan come out of the unconscious teen as he finally understood whom they were talking about: Sam. But he refused to believe the words, and his mind cleared a little. He threw his thoughts back at Jiva, "_She just has a hard time telling me...some things…"_ he said, but stopped short of saying more. He was confused as to why he suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy again.

"_Ah-ha,"_ Jiva's mind taunted, grunting at and quickly dismissing the image of Sam that she knew was in the boy's mind. His strong feelings for the creature left a bitter taste in her mind. _"She still wounds you. You want her to understand, but she will not. And that is why you should belong to me. I will always understand you. I will always tell you everything. I will always be close to you. Come with me and we will know each other." _

The echoing voice sent chills up Danny's spine, even though at that moment his body was still unconscious. He knew something wasn't right about how the words were said. His next thought told him not to obey.

But Jiva would not be discouraged. She whispered back to his mind, _"Forget about her. Forget about those feelings that have hurt you to your very core. You must decide now that you deserve better."_

Danny's body groaned again, wrestling with these wild thoughts in his head. But then, he decided that they **must** be wild thoughts. Sam and he had grown closer from their misunderstanding. That was part of working through any relationship. He quickly wiped all his thoughts of Sam out of his mind. And he suddenly felt less dizzy.

Jiva sighed in relief, but misunderstood his reasons. She cooed triumphantly. _"And I see that you have finally decided that your flesh-creature did not deserve you._"

This time, Danny's face twisted into a scowl even though neither of them knew it had happened. _"I do __**not**__ like what you are saying,"_ he silently replied, thinking that he had been arguing with himself during this entire time_. "I don't believe you!"_

The voice continued, not paying attention to what he had said. She was certain that since she had gotten him to reject his flesh-pet, she had won. _"But I deserve you. We deserve each other. Bend and serve me, and, together, our powers will give us total rule over the Spectre!"_

"_Spectre?"_ Danny thought, though for some reason he suddenly felt strangely awake. Why didn't his body obey him, then? _"Spectre?"_ he repeated in his thoughts, trying to focus. He _**wasn't **_arguing with himself after all. _"I don't want to rule the Spectre!"_

"_Yes, it is your fervent desire!"_ the sweet voice purred, caressing his mind. _"We will be invincible!" _

"'_We'? Who's 'we'? Who __**are**__ you?" _the boy answered back in his mind. There **was **something—-or someone-else here. He strained to remember where he had heard that strangely familiar voice before. And when it began to speak again, he listened more intensely…

"_You know who I am. I have been in your thoughts for several of your Flesh-Plane weeks. But you have not been very receptive, even when you were unconscious in repose at night. You are most unique to have countered me so. I could only see, then, how more desirable you were and how I did not use my powers in the right way for you. That is why I had you brought here. I have remedied that, and now you will yield to me. You can no longer resist." _Her words rang with the clarity of a bell. He now knew the voice was female.

" '…_**can no longer resist'?"**_ The thought riveted his mind. He had heard **that **command before under more dire circumstances! Though he could feel his mind still numbing with her power, her spell was not as strong as the influence he had been under when he had been poisoned with the black shadow decay. He knew he had the strength to resist her. He concentrated, digging deeply into the strength of his very being.

"_**NO!"**_ his defiantly cried, as he violently shot his thoughts back at the Spectre princess.

Jiva jolted at his mental onslaught. But she quickly recuperated and mentally screamed back. _"How dare you deny your Queen! You will be Prophesy!"_

Libro suddenly trembled in surprise. For some reason, he just now heard a female voice!

Her words painfully echoed in Danny's head and his body groaned. But that was enough of an attack to help him clear his mind. He finally realized who this was. _"Jiva!"_ was his next thought.

The Spectre princess smiled in satisfaction. How clever this flesh-shadow was. He was perfect! _"Yes, my dearest, I am here! You are the Prophesy. We will rule the Spectre."_ Her psychic command seemed as fragrant as flowers but was as sinister as choking weeds.

"_Look, Jiva,"_ Danny called firmly back to her mind. _"I __**am not**__ this Prophesy! I can't be! I __**am not**__ a Spectre!"_

"_Of course you are the Prophesy! You __**have **__to be. You are a most unique flesh-shadow. One powerful enough to need no magic to survive here. The Omen points to __**you**__, so destiny and I brought you here; and the fates have willed you to be the Prophesy!" _she firmly insisted to his thoughts.

But then thinking about his second comment, she mentally added, _"It does not matter that you are not a Spectre! Varjo was not a Spectre at first. And neither was Ombre. They proved that flesh-shadow feelings—uh, what did they call it? Oh yes, ' emotions'—Yes, they proved that flesh-shadow __**emotions**__ are superior to the ones that the Spectre have. They were great leaders because of those emotions. And Phasma—fool that he is—does not deserve to be Prophesy. He has weakened under my control and he no longer interests me."_

She paused again and changed the tone of her voice. It was sweetly hypnotic. _"But __**you**__, my dearest, are strong; and you will be Prophesy and I will be your Queen!" _She opened her eyes briefly, just before she reached over to the unconscious boy and gently stroked his cheek. She smiled and closed her eyes and concentrated again.

Danny shuddered in his mind. He could tell what she was doing, but right now he felt helpless under her power. Another thought suddenly surfaced. But, wait, was he helpless? He had been able to resist her just a few moments ago. How did he do that? He tried to think.

But then Jiva cooed, blowing her over-confident thoughts into his mind, "_And I want your flesh-shadow emotions. All of them! They are so strong, so powerful!"_

"_That's it! Strong emotions! I can block her with that!"_ he excitedly said to himself.

"_What did you say?"_ Jiva silently asked him. But she did not wait for his response and continuing to draw in the feelings she felt from him, she said, _"Ahhh! Your emotions are so potent, so delicious! With them and with your powers, the Spectre will be more than happy to serve us. They deserve strong leaders. They deserve me. And so, you can surely see that you are destined to rule with me."_

"_Uhm, not that I'm not flattered by your offer…"_ he began, sending his thoughts to her.

"_I do __**not**__ offer. I demand!"_ she immediately and mentally hissed back.

He concentrated on a strong emotion and she screeched, _"I did not give you permission to_ _leave!"_ But he could tell that her psychic yell was muffled.

"_I'm sorry, but I don't want __**you**__ to stay!"_ he firmly retorted in his mind. _"And __**I**__ don't want to stay here, either!" _

"_You will not defy me!" _she shrieked with her telepathy.

But her scream seemed like a whisper to the boy. He was succeeding!

He tried to think of an even stronger emotion. And he suddenly thought about Sam again, and his mind whispered her name as he clung to her for strength. His mind started to clear.

" '_Sam'? What is that?"_ Jiva demanded as she caught a drift of his thoughts. She paused, concentrating deeply as she tried to reach further into his mind.

Danny felt as if his brain would explode from the pressure she was now exerting upon it as she tried to probe deeper, as if she were plunging her mental claws right through him. He struggled to focus, trying to resist her. But, in spite of his efforts, she was able to carve out an image from his mind_. _

"_Oh, so is that what you call your puny flesh-creature? What? So, you __**still**__ have significant feelings for her? A mere pet? After all that pain she caused you? After all that doubt she made you suffer with? Do you really believe that she regrets all the angst she inflicted upon you? __**Do not be a fool!**__ Why waste your time on her? She cannot give you the strength as I can! And do you not know by now that flesh-shadows are far superior to flesh-creatures?" _

This time, her words made him angry_. _She knew _nothing_ about Sam. She knew _nothing _about him…_"Get out of my head!" _Danny shot back and his echo rang loudly in Jiva's mind. She stumbled a little at his mental onslaught.

"_**Get Out**_! Get. Out. Of. My. **HEAD!**" he found himself screaming out loud as he finally jolted himself into full consciousness.

The Spectre princess gasped, stunned at his power and his ability to release himself from under her spell. But she did not know that he could do that not only because of his strong will, but also because of his special nature and the ring that glowed defiantly under his now fisted hand.

But she would not be daunted. His spitfire will was even more attractive to her. She smiled with delight and moved closer to the bound boy.

Danny pulled away, struggling with his bonds. "Listen to me! I am not your Prophesy!" he firmly said.

"Yes, yes you are! You are the true flesh-shadow Prophesy and I am your Queen," she cooed, softening her eyes as she moved closer.

"_Flesh-shadow?"_ he thought. And then he startled at his idea. "No, you're wrong! I am **not** a flesh-shadow!"

"What do you say? Of course you are!" she firmly replied, bewildered by his remark.

"No! I am still part human. Still part flesh-creature. I am not full spirit! We could never be, then, don't you see? I will never become a Spectre like Varjo or Ombre. They were flesh-shadows, full flesh spirits. But I am not just a flesh-shadow. I still breathe in the Real World, where the flesh-creatures live!"

"What?" she shrieked, pulling back from him. She had never seen his human side and always thought of him as a pure—but very powerful—shadow-of-the-flesh. But she did not believe him. "Then prove it!" she commanded.

Danny closed his eyes and concentrated. But he could not change into his human form. And he was surprised at first that he knew why. That he finally understood _everything_. All those times he knew all those Spectre facts. It was because of her! Because of her power and her connection with him. All of it made sense now. Just like now. He knew! He knew that Jiva's powers within the chains prevented his transformation! He blurted out, "You must release me! I cannot prove it while I still have these chains on me!"

Even though she knew her power was within the chains, she did not believe him. "You take me as a fool?" she spat. "You **are **flesh-shadow! And you will be mine!" She floated toward him again.

And as she moved closer, she pulled out more red threads from her head. She would make him hers in spite of his infuriating resistance.

Suddenly, a servant burst in. "A thousand apologies, Highness!" she begged. "But we have intruders!"

"Intruders? What intruders?" Jiva firmly demanded.

"Flesh-creatures!"

Danny's mind raced, _"Who would be here?"_ He startled at the thought he knew had to be true. _"Sam! Tucker!"_

"Sam? And what? Another? A 'Tucker'? So, these creatures are _very_ dear to you?" Jiva said to him.

Danny jolted. She was still listening to his thoughts!

"Leave them alone!" he yelled, moving threateningly against his bindings.

The servant cringed at hearing all that anger coming from that flesh-creature; but Jiva laughed menacingly, "How delicious! Your flesh-feelings are so intense! Oh, how they beckon me! How I want them! And you will learn to serve me nevertheless. Even if you were not full flesh-shadow, I will have your powers and your strong flesh-feelings! So, you will give them to me and I will give you your flesh-creatures."

Danny didn't want her to get her hands on his friends. He gritted his teeth but knew he couldn't take the risk. "Please, leave them alone. I will do as you say!"

She knew by his tone that he was both telling the truth and unwillingly giving in at the same time. But she knew she had won.

She laughed in triumph. She turned to the servant and commanded, "Summon the guards! I have need of them. And send for more guards to make sure that the Phantom-of-the-flesh does not break free!"

She and her servant quickly left the room, leaving Danny and Libro behind, but—unbeknownst to her and her prisoners—they were not left alone. Shortly after she had begun to mentally speak to Danny, a set of green eyes, sensing more trouble brewing, had slipped into hiding within the room, and was now listening and waiting….

Jiva hurried down the hall. She would have it both ways. She would have her Phantom-of-the-flesh **and **the flesh-creatures.


	51. Chapter 51 Fast Turns

**A/N: All stirred enough for ya? Well, it's beginning to go to a roiling boil! Be sure you pay attention to every detail! (past and future) And so far? Well, we haven't heard what's happening to Sombre and Spectro and even Phasma for a while. Phasma is still all in a tizzy about the P'numbra Parley. With Danny's indirect help, Sombre has gotten the keys, escaped, and now is on his way to somewhere in the castle. Spectro has been having his own kind of mystery and thinks that the prisoner has not escaped, but learns instead that Danny is in the castle. Due to Johnny 13's blunder, Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13's presence in the castle has just been discovered by the Spectre. Jiva tries to persuade Danny to join her with her powerful telepathic mind control (I'm SURE y'all had figured this out about her WAY long ago!). But for now, she has not succeeded, and is off to find the one thing that will finally get Danny to join her: the 'flesh-creatures'. So, now, then, here's Chapter 51. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 51—Fast Turns

Danny pulled hard on the glowing red chains, grunting with each attempt. But they held fast. He stopped a moment and closed his eyes, trying to think if something Jiva had said could help him escape. Nothing came to him. Then what she said last to him materialized in his head: With that chilling laugh still ringing in his mind he thought of her words: _"How delicious! Your flesh-feelings are so intense! Oh, how they beckon me!! How I want them! And you will learn to serve me nevertheless. Even if you were not full flesh-shadow, I will have your powers and your strong flesh-feelings! So, you will give them to me and I will give you your flesh-creatures."_

"_And just how is she going to suck my powers and my emotions out of me?"_ he asked himself; and then shuddering at the possibilities, pushed the thoughts out. _"I don't even want to begin to imagine!"_

He opened his eyes and pulled again on the chains. They would not bulge. He panted more heavily with this attempt. He was tiring too quickly again! He stopped and scanned the room. He finally noticed the books that lay strewed about. They all had to do with human behavior. He shuddered at _that_ thought. Then he cringed at the next thought that pressed at him. _"Don't want to ever think that Jiva would have anything in common with Jazz!" _

Then, looking at the books closest to him, he startled when he saw Libro for the first time. The little book was on a small tray not too far from him. The red glowing bands around him told Danny that Libro was just as much a prisoner as he.

He looked around and saw that there were no guards inside—at least, not yet. He called to the book.

"Libro!"

The book shuddered under its bindings.

"Are you all right?"

The book shook, but because of the bindings, Danny wasn't certain what he meant. So, he guessed that it meant a "yes".

"I'll take that as a 'yes', OK?" He waited a moment for Libro's 'answer'. When the book shook the very same way, Danny replied, "Good, I'm glad they didn't hurt you….Man, here I was trying to help you and now we **both** need rescuing. And Sam and Tucker may be here and in danger, too!"

Libro shuddered more violently when he heard that.

"Yeah, I'm worried, too! Now, if I only had my Blazers." He searched the room again and saw them on the other side of the room. "Of course!" he muttered.

He yanked on the chains again, and sighed, "It's no use, Libro! I can't break free! I'm already getting wasted in this hostile atmosphere. So, we're stuck for now… But what about Jiva, then? Do you know her? Do you think she can suck my powers and my emotions out of me?"

Libro didn't move. But Danny didn't know that Libro was searching his own mind. Libro did know her! And she did have the power.

But before the book could finally answer, Danny continued, "Maybe you don't know? I guess it's possible that you might not…But you know Phasma, right?"

Libro moved slightly.

"It's all right. I know you're Ombre," the boy said. His tone assured the book that his secret was safe.

Libro hesitated at first with the news, but then shuddered the same way before that indicated a "yes".

"Do you think he knows we're here?"

Libro shuddered an even different way and Danny took that to mean a "no".

"OK, I'll say that's a 'no'. Well, that might be good, and at least that might mean we still have a chance!" Danny said as he pulled on the chains again. He tried to power up his ice rays to freeze them, but not even a wisp of frost eked out of his eyes or hands. He called to Libro again, "Will any of my powers that sort of, but don't really, work here work against the chains?"

Libro thought quickly and then moved in such as way to let the boy know that he had said, "No".

"I should've figured that it would mess with all my powers, but it was worth a try!" he said as he looked at his hand and still tried to power up an ectoplasmic ray from it. At first, he gasped in excitement when it started to form and grow. But then it quickly sputtered out. He sighed in disappointment.

Suddenly, he spied the ring.

"Hey, Libro! I have your ring on! I've always had a feeling that its powers weren't just for communicating and keeping me from frying up in this place. But I don't know how to use it." He jolted at his next wild thought. "Maybe that's why Jiva's powers couldn't totally control my mind? Anyhow, do you think I can use the ring to break my chains?"

Libro shuddered, indicating a "yes" to both of the boy's questions.

"What do I do, then? Can I just concentrate and make it do what I want?"

Libro shook again to mean a "yes" to the boy's question.

"Great! Hang on! I'm going to try to do just that!" he excitedly said. The hybrid twirled the ring around his index finger with his right thumb so that the gem was now outwardly exposed, which was easy, since it was a little too large for his finger. He pulled at the chains again, trying to aim the ring at the band binding his left wrist. He concentrated on producing his ectoplasmic ray again, but this time he tried channeling it through the ring.

The ring's jewel began to glow, but then a moment later, the glow ebbed a little. Danny bit his lip in worry. Then all of a sudden, it seemed to catch with green fire. The boy's ectoplasmic energy burst forth from out of the stone like a laser beam.

Though Danny hoped that something like this would happen, he was still startled by it when the wild beam shot across the room and burned a hole into the opposite wall.

"Whoa!" the teen cried, but went right to work. He gingerly began to steer the ray toward the ghostly chains on his left wrist. In less than a moment, it had burned through just as Danny yanked his left hand away before the beam reached it. Danny sighed and the beam expired.

He slid the ring off and slipped it on the index finger of his left hand and concentrated again. The gem once again hesitated before activating, its powerful green ray brightening as it melted the binds precisely off his right wrist. Danny quickly returned the ring to his right index finger and repeated the same technique with his ankles. He was free!

He didn't hesitate to fly to Libro, and aimed the ring at the red strands. But he didn't have time to release his friend…

* * *

Bhuto and some of his soldiers had come into Jiva's chambers to check on the prisoner as Jiva had commanded. But the shadow ghost had come in clumsingly, not suspecting in the least that the flesh-shadow would be able to escape. But then he saw that he was wrong.

Danny produced a thin ice shield that protected both Libro and him from the red-and-black seal that Bhuto immediately threw at them. But the shield shattered; still, it managed to deflect the ray, which then crashed into a pile of nearby books. The books flew outward pell-mell under the attack. Danny knew he couldn't hold out without his Blazers and wouldn't have time to concentrate enough to use the ring.

"He is mine!" Bhuto commanded to his soldiers just as he fired another red-and-black ray; and Danny was barely able to just refract it with another even weaker ice beam. He had to duck to keep it from striking him in spite of its course being altered. This time, the Spectre seal slammed into the ceiling as the ice beam remnants sprayed the shadow ghosts.

Danny had no other choice now. He had only one fleeting chance. He didn't want to leave Libro like this, but he could not stay any longer. His powers were dwindling, all because of his own ice abilities. Like the Ice Beasts of the Far Frozen, he knew that his ice powers were actually accelerating the loss of all his powers. The ring had only slowed the effects of the decay for him. After all, he was not a 'regular' human ghost. He was a hybrid with ice powers. The power within this lone ring would not completely eliminate the consequences he would endure for being here in this realm. And so, he did what he had to do for now…

He quickly turned into his human form and barely phased through the wall, yelling to his friend as he did so, "I'll be back, Libro, I promise!"

Bhuto was astounded. What kind of magic was that? This flesh-shadow was very special indeed and would make a powerful servant to his Queen! He then panicked, knowing that Jiva would be furious that the Phantom had escaped. He flew to Libro and checked the bindings. They were still secure. Then he smiled at his thoughts. _"So, the Phantom-of-the-flesh would be back? Yes, but not as he promised! Yes, he will be back. But as my prisoner once more! I will reach him first."_

He pulled forth one of his soldiers to stand guard over Libro. And then he quickly turned to leave…

* * *

Jiva knew of the fastest way to capture the flesh-creatures. She would have Phasma summon all the Spectre soldiers to scour the castle. She quickly headed toward the Room of Authority, not knowing that someone had gotten to Phasma first…..

Sombre was encouraged now that his memory had returned. He knew where the room he needed to go to was. He kept to the shadows once more, melding perfectly into them.

Finally, he was at the Room of Authority. He slinked into the room and immediately saw that Phasma was alone. The Prophesy had just sent all of his servants and guards off to finalize the preparation of the P'numbra Parley. He knew that it wouldn't be long before that special council meeting would come to pass.

But suddenly, Phasma's attention went to his still hidden amulet. Why was it shuddering? This was the second time it had done so! What did it mean?

Of course, the Prophesy could not have known the tremors were first caused by Johnny 13 when he commanded his ring, and now caused by Danny's willing power from his ring at that precise instant.

In addition, the news of the intruders had not yet reached him. And neither did any Spectre know that Sombre had escaped…

And so, when Sombre, unhesitatingly willed his claws and charged at him, the Prophesy was completely taken off-guard.

Phasma tried a last ditch counterattack, pulling out the amulet in the hopes of controlling the charging shadow ghost. But the Prophesy had forgotten that Sombre had not been given a talisman to bind him to the amulet yet.

Sombre pounced on him; and with a quick slash of his claws, rent the amulet from around Phasma's neck. It fell to the floor with a loud thud and the orange-red gem's crack expanded.

Sombre pushed Phasma against the back of the Chair of Authority and pressed his talons to Phasma's throat. "Now, my lord Phasma," Sombre hissed, hardly noticing that he could now speak Spectre again, "…now is the time for a new Prophesy! You have dishonored the throne and have dishonored my House for too long!" He pressed his sharp nails deeper into Phasma.

Phasma, of course, clearly understood Sombre and reacted with a frightened gasp. "Wait!" Phasma gasped again, pulling at the blades with his hands. "I never wanted to be Prophesy! Jiva made me! She has strange powers…" He gasped more as the claws dug in, "S-strong powers! She has…a way of controlling…us all!"

But Sombre's rapiers pressed further and Phasma shrieked, "Believe…me! Jiva...always wanted the throne!! I…."

But Phasma didn't finish his plea. The loud thunder of a large jolt interrupted him, and both he and Sombre screamed in pain as their bodies were electrocuted by it. They fell where they were, knocked unconscious by the blow. They did not see who had attacked them.

A shrill laugh suddenly filled the room as Jiva stood triumphantly holding the still glowing amulet that she had used to attack the two male Spectre. She was pleased how easily it was for her to wield it. She was sure she would just as easily be able to master it.

"Yes, Father, you are right!" she shrieked. "I have always wanted the throne. But, really, with you foolishly on it, I always had it! You should have kept yourself busy looking for that silly Omen of the Prophecy instead of being here for me to take it all away from you. And now it—and all the Spectre--are mine!"

She moved over to her senseless father and touched his temple. She concentrated and said to his mind, "Now, Father, remember that it was the flesh-creatures who attacked you! Send your guards to find them and bring them to me!"

She could hardly contain her euphoria. She could not be defeated! She had the amulet, the Book, and once she had the flesh-creatures, she would have total power over the Phantom-of-the-flesh! She jolted a moment at her next thought. But that was not enough. No, she wanted even more. And she would have even more.

She laughed as she headed out the door, clutching the amulet against her. There was no doubt in her mind now how so very easy it would be for her to capture the flesh-creatures.


	52. Chapter 52 Clashes and Crashes

**A/N: Well, are you still with me? Good! Remember that Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 have narrowly escaped from the Spectre, and the alarm has been made of their presence in the castle. But Danny has also barely escaped from Jiva's room, but he could not rescue Libro. Sombre attacked Phasma, but before he could do any harm to the Prophesy, Jiva does it for him and incapacitates them both in the process. But she has gotten a bonus from her attack. She now has the amulet and she won't stop until she has found the flesh-creatures. But what about Spectro? He had just returned from a mysterious errand. And where is he now? So, here come more twists and turns with lots of zig-zagging, out-of-control action, so hold on tight as this wild roller coaster ride continues with Chapter 52! IDNOAC. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 52—Clashes and Crashes

Jiva placed the amulet around her neck. And even though she was made aware of the orange-red fiery glow binding her to the P'numbra Parley, she could nevertheless feel the power of the amulet penetrating within her. She drank in the power and it inebriated her mind. She momentarily forgot that she had other matters to which to attend. She smiled with her feeling of certain victory. Her plans were coming together and she could taste her triumph. She swayed in delight as she lapped more of the power in. She would be invincible. She had everything…the amulet, the book…She startled, her mind clearing with her next thought. But wait! The Phantom! He still needed to be turned! She needed to get the flesh-creatures! Having them would give her control over the Phantom. And she knew she could do it with the amulet.

She looked at it once more. It stilled burned with an orange-red light, and its brilliance danced within her red eyes. She felt both mesmerized and powerful as its magic beckoned her once more. She yielded to its charm. She knew she would not only be one with it, but she would soon be its master. Suddenly, she noticed the cracks. They had expanded. How was this possible? Then she remembered that she had found it on the floor.

"Fool!" she immediately hissed, looking over at her still senseless father. "You could not even guard it from that other fool! No matter. I will still command it. It is still possible that its powers are unaffected. But no more of this! It is time to finish it!"

She hurried out of the room. She had to act quickly and gather the Spectre army to find the flesh-creatures for her.

* * *

One of Spectro's servants hurriedly whispered to his master in secret. The P'numbra Parley was prepared and its summoning powers would be converging soon. The Spectre general allowed a smile to escape him. That would explain the current and more obvious uproar of the castle. And that was perfect for what was currently foremost in his thoughts.

But then, that was not all the servant told him. And this made him realize that the uproar was due to more than what he had originally believed. There were intruders! Flesh-creatures! Spectro jolted at the news. So, the Phantom-of-the-flesh had his own army! But why were they here? Did they want to conquer the Spectre? For what purpose?

He nodded to the servant, whispering back his instructions. "Tell the others to make ready! It is nearly the time. And locate Geist for me. I will have need of him. Do you understand?"

The servant acknowledged him with a low bow and hurried to spread his message.

Spectro knew what he had to do next. He hurried to see Phasma. What did the Prophesy know of these intruders? He needed to be sure before he could act any further. He anxiously soared to the Room of Authority.

* * *

Danny changed back into Phantom once he had oozed through the wall from which he had barely escaped Bhuto. But he knew that he would not stand a chance in a fight with that—or any other—Spectre without his Blazers. He darted forward, desperately searching his mind for a quick plan.

Suddenly, he heard the approaching sound of more Spectre coming right toward him. They were the Spectre guards Jiva had sent to guard him and Libro. He dove behind a nearby large, thick tapestry which hung on the wall. He pressed himself as hard as he could against the wall, hoping that the rug would shield him from being detected.

As he felt them brush by him, he held his breath, daring not to even flinch. He madly thought, _"Oh, man, now what am I going to do? I'm a sitting duck without my Blazers, and my powers can't hold out against them any more. I know I can still use my wulf claws in a pinch. But I don't even want to think of how close I'll have to be to use them. I just don't think that I could fight them for that long!" _

He sighed in relief when they finally passed him without noticing him. But then he startled a little when he finally saw a small dull light reflect back at him against the heavy curtain. He sighed in relief again. It was just Ombre's ring! He frowned in frustration at the ring on his right hand and thought, _"And I have to concentrate too much and for too long to use this ring! And it doesn't look like it has done much good in protecting me…though I am glad I have it! Without it, I would have bit the dust a long time ago. Still, I wish it would do a better job." _He chuckled a little at his next thought_. "Actually, I should be blaming my ice powers since they are the ones screwing up the ring." _

But then Frostbite's words about the rings suddenly surfaced in his mind:

"_They are powerful. But you do not need __**to wear both**__. __**One **__will suffice to protect you from their acrid climate."_

The boy smiled in hope. _"But what if __**my**__ ice powers work differently than a full ghost's like Frostbite? I mean, he said they would be a disadvantage for me around here, but this is __**too**__ much! If that's the case, then Frostbite couldn't have known my ice powers would interfere this much with the ring! And he didn't mention a thing of what they could do if I wore __**both**__ of the rings!"_

He reached in his pocket and pulled out the second ring, the one that had belonged to Spirto. He put it on his left hand. All of the sudden, both rings burned brighter, but their glow was still dull over all. _"Don't want to double the chance of any Spectre spotting them."_ He turned them both around for now to hide their glow within his fisted hands as before. Suddenly, he felt better and his breathing got easier. _"Hey, I can feel my strength coming back! Should have thought of this a_ _while ago!"_ he told himself with a smirk.

But unbeknownst to Danny, at the precise time he had put on the second ring, Jiva felt a tremor in the orange-red amulet…

* * *

Phasma regained consciousness before Sombre and pushed the senseless shadow ghost off of him. Sombre slid to the floor and remained motionless. Phasma didn't know why his prisoner was here. In fact, the Prophesy was confused and drained, as if something inside of him had been lost. Panicking, he hurriedly searched for the amulet within him. Now remembering what had occurred between him and Sombre, he searched frantically around him. It was gone!

"Guards!" he screamed and a few soldiers who had been passing the room heard their leader's desperate cry and hurried to him.

The group bowed low and for a moment Phasma had forgotten why he had cried out. He wildly searched each of the soldiers' eyes for help, but they merely returned his gaze with bewildered ones of their own. They could not understand why their Prophesy was so distraught, and more importantly, obviously frightened and confused. Too fearful to question him or each other, they stood speechless and lost.

But then, Phasma looked at Sombre again, and remembered a strange thought pressing in his mind. Pointing a shaking finger at the unconscious shadow ghost at his feet, he stammered, "T-Take this creature to the dungeon! And summon more soldiers….Y-Your Prophesy has been attacked b-by….i-intruders! F-Flesh-creatures did this! Go and find them and bring them to me!"

They bowed low to Phasma.

"As you command," they all said.

Some of the soldiers quickly left. The few left retrieved the still unconscious Sombre and headed toward the dungeon.

* * *

Bhuto screeched in anger that Danny had slipped from his grasp. He immediately left the room after seeing and calling another guard nearby. He hoped he could cut the flesh-shadow right off.

He dashed just outside the princess' room and darted his head in every direction. But that creature was now nowhere in sight. Bhuto growled with revenge. The Phantom-of-the-flesh would pay dearly for putting him in such a precarious position with Jiva! But then he growled in frustration at his next thought. He could not damage the flesh-shadow or else the Princess would have his head. But that didn't mean he couldn't make the flesh-shadow suffer!

As the shadow ghost headed in the direction he thought Danny would have taken, he was met by more of his own troop of Spectre soldiers which Jiva had summoned to guard the boy and the book.

Bhuto immediately thought, _"The flesh-shadow could not have gone that way without being detected by this group. He must have gone the other way!" _But he commanded, "Come with me! The Princess has need of us. The Phantom-of-the-flesh has escaped!"

He led them in the other direction, away from Danny.

* * *

Spectro arrived at the Room of Authority just as the guards were leaving with the senseless Sombre. The Spectre general gasped when he saw the prisoner and immediately called the nearest lieutenant. He recognized him at once.

"Geist!" Spectro firmly said. His servant could not have had time to reach this Spectre as yet, but the fates had willed him to be here after all.

"My liege," the guard answered before immediately bowing to his commander. He slowly rose and motioned for the others to continue on without him.

"What is going on?" Spectro asked.

"Flesh-creatures have invaded the castle, and they attacked the Prophesy!" he excitedly replied, and then gingerly added, "And the prisoner? How he got here, I do not know."

Spectro didn't concern himself about the prisoner. At that moment, he was more worried about the flesh-creatures. He finally said, "You may go! But have all the guards you can spare to search for the flesh-creatures. But be careful. There may be many of them, and they may have weapons. Destroy those first, as they are powerful. Then, the flesh-creatures will be at your mercy. Without their weapons, flesh-creatures are weak, even in their own realm. And we have the advantage over them here in our own. So, once they are weaponless, it will be easy for you to capture them. But do not harm them. When you have secured them in your power, bring them to me. I have need to question their presence here. Is that clear?"

"My liege!" Geist responded with a low bow again. The lieutenant would unquestionably obey him rather than Phasma. This was the second time Spectro had granted him mercy about the prisoner.

Spectro hurried into the Room of Authority.

Just as Spectro entered the room, Phasma spied him immediately.

"Spectro!" he desperately shrieked. "Come here, come here!" He wildly waved his hands to indicate he wanted Spectro right next to him.

Spectro obeyed him and when he was within reaching distance, Phasma unexpectedly grabbed both of Spectro's shoulders and violently shook him just as the Prophesy desperately hissed, "Spectro! Help me! I do not know what to do! The amulet. It has been taken from me! The flesh-creatures have taken it from me!"

Spectro could see that Phasma was out of his mind with fear. He tried to pull away, but Phasma increased his hold. But Spectro was not scared. In fact, he smiled underneath. That would mean that at this moment Phasma was powerless and would not be able to control any Spectre. Especially him. But he weighed his words carefully nevertheless.

"What do you mean, my lord? What flesh-creatures?" he calmly asked.

"I do not know what they look like! I did not see them! I just know that they attacked me! I know it in my mind! They attacked me! They must have used magic on me!" the Prophesy shrieked, his eyes becoming wilder as he spoke.

Spectro looked at the quivering, pitiful creature that had once been his Prophesy. Without the amulet, he was nothing.

Then what Phasma said hit him. _"I know it in my mind!...They must have used magic on me!"_ But Spectro did not think that the flesh-creatures were capable of getting the amulet from him! He was too powerful with it. And if those creatures wanted to conquer the Spectre, why didn't they take Phasma as their prisoner? He did not understand. His mind was suddenly bombarded with countless thoughts. _"Did the flesh-creatures have some kind of magic, or, did…."_

But he interrupted himself at his next thought...

"_Jiva! Jiva attacked her own father and used her telepathic powers to convince him that the flesh-creatures had attacked him!"_ The Spectre commander tried to dismiss the idea, but he couldn't. It could only be her! That would explain all her secret plans!

He jolted at his next thought. _"What of the Phantom-of-the-flesh, then? Was Jiva using him for her plans? But why? Flesh-shadows—and flesh-creatures—have no business here! And, for that matter, why use flesh-shadows? They could not survive here."_

He thought he knew the answer to that one at least.

"_Jiva cannot control any Spectre without the amulet and she does not have enough Spectre soldiers to be able to get it. But perhaps she manipulated others not of our own species, and used the amulet to affect their actions….Like all those flesh-creatures—shadows and flesh-bound alike! And if Jiva has truly taken the amulet, then it would explain how the Phantom-of-the-flesh is currently thriving here and why he seems so powerful. She has probably used the amulet's power on him to make this so! And she …"_

He paused, shaking his head at the thought that had interrupted him_. "But if she has __**just**__ now gotten a hold of the amulet, how could this be? Maybe it is not Jiva who has taken it after all…. Maybe the Phantom-of-the-flesh has taken the amulet and attacked Phasma!"_

He grunted in frustration. No. He did not believe this. "_No, this cannot be or else I am sure that by now, we would have word that he is using it. But did he have an army of flesh-creatures? If so, why did he alone attack the guards in the dungeon?" _

His mind burned with irritation when his answers only produced more questions._ But could flesh-creatures even survive here?" _He did not know_. _He continued to ask himself more questions, anxious for some kind of answer. But instead, he thought of the Phantom-of-the–flesh again. _"What was he doing in the dungeon in the first place? Was he trying to rescue the prisoner? Or did he want to maybe destroy the prisoner instead_?" After all, Phasma had been sure to tell him how important a Spectre that prisoner was.…

He continued to ponder_, "So, if Jiva __**has been**__ using the Phantom-of-the flesh, then everything else would now be very difficult. With that obviously powerful flesh-shadow as her servant—joined with the amulet—she would be unstoppable!..." _Unsatisfied, he paused again and muttered,_…"But what do the flesh-creatures have to do with all this?"_

His sighed with the continuing frustration. But he would get the answers! And he knew exactly how. Now satisfied with his new plans, he wiped away his confusing thoughts.

He forced himself to focus back on the trembling Spectre who was still clinging to him as a frightened child would. He calmly replied, "My lord, I will leave now. I have some matters to attend to. You would do well to stay here."

Phasma pulled away in shock. "You dare speak to me this way and dare leave without my permission?"

Spectro backed a little away from him as well. He wanted to remain out of his clutches. He continued in the same calm tone, "Yes, I do dare, my lord. And you will understand all at the P'numbra Parley."

"You know of it?" Phasma shrieked, half in fear and half in accusation. "How?" He was sure he had prepared it all in secret.

"Because I was the one who demanded it!" Spectro answered him before standing more erect as he proudly defied his leader. He knew that the P'numbra Parley was the way to hold Phasma and his daughter accountable for all their wicked deeds. And he would make sure of it.

Phasma gasped. He looked at his commander in shock. Then he broke down and crumbled to the floor. "How could you? How could you do this to me?" he murmured through his whimpers.

Spectro felt pity; but he remained strong, "How could you do all you have done to the Spectre?"

The Spectre general said no more. He turned and quickly left. He had a hunch where Jiva would be. And he was certain that his soldiers would find the flesh-creatures.

But he had to find the Phantom-of-the-flesh.

And Spectro knew that Phasma would remain in the Room of Authority, no longer a threat to anyone.

* * *

Danny waited for a moment until he was sure it was quiet enough. He crept out from behind the tapestry, momentarily relieved. But then he chided himself, _"Why are you just sitting here, Fenton? You don't know where you are and you don't know if Sam and Tucker are even here and, of course if they are, where they are!"_ He frowned in doubt. "_But at least I know where Libro and Sombre are."_

But at that very moment, Sombre still had not recovered from Jiva's blow and was now being brought back to the dungeon again after attacking Phasma.

Renewed in strength and determined to get going, Danny continued, "_So, there's only one thing left to do: search blindly and hope I stumble upon them!"_

He quickened his pace to the end of the dark corridor until he reached a door. He opened it and plunged into the even darker blackness of the next narrow hallway.


	53. Chapter 53 Fateful Meeting

**A/N: Still hanging onto that roller coaster with your fingertips (with the REST of your body flying up in the air)? AWESOME! Now here's what's happening: Every Spectre is now looking for Sam, Tucker, and inadvertently, Johnny 13. Danny, too, is looking for them, but has not a clue how. Jiva now has the amulet and is also looking for the 'flesh-creatures'. She wants to use them to force Danny to serve her, but, of course, she doesn't know that Danny has escaped, all because of the ring. Sombre has been recaptured and is being brought to the dungeon again. Spectro has just found out just about everything and has revealed to the now powerless Phasma that he was the one who called the P'numbra Parley. And now he, along with Bhuto, are looking for Danny. Now, ready for more zig-zagging action? Fear not! IDNOAC and here is Chapter 53! Another one of my personal fav chappies! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 53—Fateful Meeting

Danny oozed out of the black hallway without meeting any other being. He saw a door at the end and he hastened to it. It opened to a large, slightly brighter room. It was eerily quiet. Neglected furniture were scattered about. He saw a door at the other side and headed toward it.

Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him and dove for cover. Several Spectre passed him and went through the same far door. The whole castle was in an uproar, and now all the Spectre were combing it for the flesh-creatures.

The teen waited a few moments until the din was more muffled. He decided to head in the same direction that the Spectre went. He snaked through several more empty rooms and hallways. There seemed to be no end. He could not know that he was in a rarely used part of the castle. With the slightest of noises—which were now occurring more and more often-he dove for whatever cover he could find.

Finally, he entered a very long, dark hallway. He decided to hug the ceiling, but he still flew carefully as he pressed forward. After several dragging minutes of this type of movement, the boy grumbled to himself in frustration, "The way this is going, I'll never even get back to get Libro! There's got to be a better way!"

At last, the young hybrid saw a door ahead and quickly darted into it, ready to retreat if he should find any more trouble behind it. It was the entrance to a long and even blacker hallway. "Man, just how many of these spooky hallways do they have?" he muttered under his breath.

He decided to fly as quickly as he could through this passage, hugging the wall to keep oriented. Even though he was feeling stronger and better when he put the second ring on, his ghostly eyes still stung a little from the elements and that made seeing clearly more difficult.

Suddenly, he knew he was nearing the end of the hallway. He could see a faint outline of a door just ahead. He hurried forward, but then stifled a gasp. The door that was there opened right in front of him, letting the duller grayish-black light trip in, lessening the blackness of where he was. The boy immediately soared upward to the ceiling, hoping he wasn't detected.

But it was too late. He knew he had been seen when he felt a firm grasp clasp around his ankle.

Danny immediately willed his claws just as he was pulled downward. But they were quickly counterattacked by the Spectre's strong talons. The ghost hybrid pushed back with all his might at his barely-visible foe, but he was still being shoved into the nearby black wall. Already panting with the effort in spite of both of the rings helping him, the teen ignored the familiar drain of strength. He quickly balled his legs up and anchored them against his attacker, thrusting them violently outward, and successfully slammed his foe against the opposite wall.

Danny then immediately tried to retreat toward the still open door, but his attacker's claws barred his way. Again, the boy was forced to defend himself. He quickly slashed at the assaulting blades and sparks flew and echoes rang at the force of their blows. The Spectre rebounded, and pushed the teen backward as their talons engaged. But Danny cried defiantly and shoved back. Once more, the teen's efforts were successful. He threw his opponent off and the shadow ghost grunted as he was rammed into the floor.

Trying to catch his breath and renew his strength, Danny flew upward instead of toward the door this time, turning Ombre's larger ring around as he did. He desperately tried to concentrate to fire an ectoplasmic ray through it, but since the shadow ghost could clearly see him, he was upon the boy before he could finish. Danny was jerked even more violently against the ceiling. He struggled to break free but in spite of the rings' protection from the harsh environment, he could no longer ignore how rapidly he was tiring. He knew from his rigid breathing that he had to do something quickly or he would be totally in his foe's power.

The teen mustered his inner strength and with a yell pummeled a right hook into the Spectre's stomach. The shadow ghost groaned as he was again violently thrust into the side wall and then plummeted to the floor. The force of the blow also made the larger ring twirl within the boy's hand, and the gem was hidden once more within his fist. Danny made a mad dash to the open door again but before he could reach it, the shadow ghost had slammed it shut, trapping both of them in the pitch-black hall. Before Danny could react, he was grabbed and pushed even harder against the wall. The Spectre's body was then wedged against him and one of the shadow ghost's blades was at his throat.

"Let...go…of…me!" the boy finally gasped, instinctively shooting a weak ice beam from his eyes as he tried to keep the Spectre's claws from digging into his flesh. But his assailant jerked slightly away while opening a few holes in his form and the beams missed. Danny could feel his strength quickly waning, and was suddenly aware that actually using his ice powers weakened him further. But he struggled nevertheless against the Spectre knife at his throat. He ignored his dread as he felt something warm and wet sliding down his neck.

"You do fight well, Phantom-of-the-flesh! I do not understand how, though. Flesh-shadows cannot survive here," the voice said. He knew that the creature would understand him.

Danny was surprised that it knew his name and that it did not speak in anger. But he didn't care at the moment. He struggled harder against the rapier. Still, he was weakening and his foe was too strong.

The shadow ghost continued, "And you are fighting only to defend yourself, not to hurt me. Why?" But the voice did not lessen the pressure of the blade on the boy's neck.

"Because," Danny panted, still struggling, "I…don't…like… to hurt…anybody!"

"Then why did you attack the soldiers in the dungeon?" the voice in the murkiness asked just as it allowed its green eyes to emerge from their stealth power.

Danny startled a little at the Spectre's words and at seeing any color in the blackness. Still, this Spectre's eyes did not look at him in anger at all. Their steeled gaze seemed more serious and curious than hostile…and looked strangely familiar.

But then, the pressure from the blade increased, and Danny answered between labored breaths, "I…wanted to rescue…my friend, Sombre! You…Spectre captured him…and…..another friend…of mine….named…Libro…And now my other…..friends may be…in danger!...They are humans…..Flesh-creatures!"

"But why are you here?" the voice pressed on, instinctively not believing the boy's answer. But the force of the blade on Danny's throat unexpectedly slackened a little. Danny didn't question it. He was thankful it had, since it now allowed him to breathe easier, or at least enough for him to answer. But before he could, the shadow ghost added, "And where is your army?"

Shocked by the latter 'news', and still pulling against the Spectre's knife, Danny firmly replied, "Army? What army? I don't have any 'army'! I don't know what you're talking about!"

The force of the Spectre's talon increased and the boy knew that it thought he was lying. The shadow ghost ignored the gasps for air that erupted from his foe when he pressed his large claw harder onto its throat. He held the force of the blade steady as he growled, "Do not try to fool me, flesh-shadow! You could not invade our realm without some type of magic and an army."

Danny could feel his head spinning, and his collar was now wet with his perspiration and ectoplasm. He did not want to lose consciousness now. But he also did not want to reveal anything that would make it even more dangerous for him and his friends. He could under **no** circumstances reveal the rings currently hidden in his palms or give any hint that he was close to solving the Prophesy mystery. And telling this Spectre he had been held prisoner by Jiva did not sound like a smart thing to do. Besides, these Spectre would never believe anything bad about their princess.

Danny tried to speak, but a whining gasp came out instead. He started to see blackness.

The Spectre was surprised when the flesh-shadow's arms suddenly fell away from his talons and he felt its body beginning to go limp. How could this be? He thought the noise it was making was a ploy to throw him off-guard. But, was this flesh-shadow actually taking in the surrounding elements for its body? Did it actually _breathe_? He let up on the pressure on his claws and the boy's response was immediate.

Danny began to cough violently and reflexively brought his hands back up to his throat. But they met the Spectre's blades instead. Danny continued to cough for a few more minutes, all the while continuing to pull at the talons, fighting them to allow more of the thick air into his hurting lungs. He didn't even care at this point if the Spectre still expected him to answer.

The Spectre was now aghast as he observed all of the flesh-shadow's reaction. What kind of creature was this? He forgot all about his other questions, and again asked, "What kind of creature are you? You breathe? I do not understand. You would risk being here when this air is so foul? Then, why are you here?"

"I already told you! I came here because I want to rescue my friends. And I don't want to fight you!" Danny panted between coughs, trying to slow his breathing. He tried to counter the weight of the Spectre's body, but quickly gave up when he realized his strength was now completely spent. Ignoring his blurring vision while still weakly trying to pull against the Spectre's claws, he desperately added, "You Spectre attacked and kidnapped them for no reason. And my human friends are probably trying to find me. And since it's very obvious from everything that's happened so far that you shadow ghosts definitely aren't a friendly bunch, I'm afraid that my friends are also in danger!"

The voice didn't answer, mulling over what the boy said. And before the voice could respond, Danny added dryly yet defiantly, "So, then, have you decided to run me through or let me go?"

The Spectre paused again. This Phantom-of-the-flesh was very unique and quite formidable. And certainly brave. And his defiance given the situation he was in was also impressive. Yet, somehow, he had the strange and compelling feeling that the flesh-shadow was not lying. And that he could even trust this creature. Perhaps he was not working for Jiva after all. He removed his claws from the boy and retracted them. "Come with me!" he commanded.

Danny blinked with disbelief in the darkness as he rubbed where the large talon had been. He quickly wiped the green ectoplasmic blood away. Did he hear the shadow ghost right? He started forward, still weakened by the fight. But his hazy vision could barely make out the form in front of him. And he couldn't keep up. He coughed a little before he called to the shadow ghost, "OK. I'm coming, but I can't see where you're going!"

"This way!" the voice firmly said, as his form finally unblocked the dim light coming from the now open door. "And be quiet!"

Danny tried to quicken his pace and by the time he reached the door, the Spectre was out of sight. _"Man, where did he go?"_ Danny asked himself. Suddenly, he heard a noise to his right and before he could react, he felt a strong shadow hand grab him by the wrist and pull him in the same direction from where the noise had come. The creak of the moving door returned, and as it closed, Danny was surrounded by more blackness.

At first, there was total silence in the total darkness. Danny began to worry. Maybe this Spectre had led him into a trap. But he immediately dismissed the idea. He would have already wasted him by now. But, finally, he whispered, "Uh, mind if I turn on a little light? I can't see anything. I'm not able to make it too bright."

"All right," the voice said and Danny shut his eyes, concentrating on producing a very weak ball of ectoplasmic energy. The light was enough to shield the dull glow of the rings. When he opened his eyes, they widened as he gasped.

He was looking at the same Spectre commander he saw the first time at the football game in Shadesville!

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When Sombre regained consciousness, he was still within the firm clutches of the two guards. He barely opened his eyes, trying to see what was going on and fighting the dizziness he still felt from the amulet's blow. He could tell that at least several other shadow ghosts flanked him and were in front of him. He knew he would not be able to fight them all in his current condition. As they neared the holding cell, Sombre could see that this was the same one that he was first placed! He kept limp, but with his eyes slightly open. He hoped they would put him there again. He silently grew excited when the guard produced keys and unlocked the very cell Sombre wanted. Without even looking in, the guards threw Sombre in, not caring where he landed. Then they immediately slammed and locked the door behind him.

Sombre remained on the floor for a few more moments. He wanted to make sure they had left. When he was satisfied that he was safe, he desperately searched, hoping that the guards had been using a second set of keys. Suddenly, his hand moved some debris and he heard metal clink…..

The original set of keys was still here!

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Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 all pressed against the door as it bulged from the Spectre pushing against it on the other side. They knew they weren't going to be able to hold out indefinitely.

"Is there… another way…out of here?" Sam said through her pants. She then gulped, "And why aren't we phasing through this door, Tucker?"

"I don't...know, but...wait a minute!" Tucker said through his own pants; then groping in the darkness, found and pushed one of the buttons on his PDA. It lit up and he quickly programmed it. A bright beam of light shot forward.

The trio could see the numerous heavy tables and sturdy benches in this room. And there was a door on the other side.

Sam turned to the biker ghost next. "Johnny,..." she began, but by the look of terror on his face, she knew he would not be able to concentrate to use his ring anymore to turn them invisible and intangible. She then turned to her friend and puffed, "Quick, Tucker, let's wedge some the benches against the door and see if that other door over there leads to anywhere but here!" Just then, a thick Spectre talon suddenly shoved past her cheek through the heavy door. She screamed.

Tucker stepped toward the closest bench but the door's lock snapped and the door began to open. He immediately shoved his body against it. "I can't reach them!" he cried in panic.

"Let me try!" Johnny 13 said, surprising them both while still pushing against the door. He swallowed down his fear and concentrated, aiming his ring with his outstretched arm at the nearest table and benches. The ring burst into light and a green aura suddenly formed around the objects he desired. And like a lasso pulling a wayward calf, the biker ghost pulled his arm back and the table and benches lurched toward them. He paused a moment and then said, "OK, when I count to three, be ready to jump out of the way, OK?"

"OK!" Sam and Tucker said in unison as they pushed back again against the bulging door. A few more talons penetrated too close to them for comfort.

"OK. One. Two. THREE!" Johnny cried and he pulled on the ring with all the might of both his hands. The heavy table and benches slammed into the door just as Sam and Tucker jumped out of the way. The door held firm!

The trio instantly darted to the door on the far side of the room. Relieved that it led down a hallway, they bolted right through, just as the Spectre burst through the door they had tried to bar.


	54. Chapter 54 Dead End

**A/N: Sorry for the lateness again. I was a little under the weather last weekend. Now where were we? Oh, yeah: Danny has stumbled not upon his friends, but upon someone else. Bhuto is still searching for Danny. Sombre is placed in the cell he was first put into and no one had noticed that the original set of keys was still in the cell. Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 are on the run and have barely missed capture by the Spectre, but they don't know that everyone is looking for them, including Jiva, who now has the amulet. **

**Oh, and this is one of those Chapters I told you about that is kinda intense. If you don't want to read it, that is fine, just scrolled down the bottom for a summary. But it's another personal fav for me (top five), nevertheless! But for those who dare, are you ready for more action? IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 54. We're on top of the highest part of the roller coaster. Enjoy. Here we gooooooo…**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 54—Dead End

Bhuto continued to search for the Phantom-of-the-flesh. He and his small band of Spectre soldiers had spread out and were searching from room-to-room nearest to the Princess's chamber. He knew the flesh-shadow was fast, but not _this_ fast. Perhaps his prey had managed to slip past the Spectre on the other side after all.

He divided the group and gave them instructions to meet back at a small post further ahead. He pressed upon them that they were to stop, but not harm, the Phantom and bring him to the same post. He then darted toward a shortcut that would cross a path further ahead. He could only hope to guess it was somewhere around there where the Flesh-shadow would be.

He checked rooms sporadically for the Phantom, only to come up empty each time. And he was suddenly aware of a change within him. His fear was mounting and he tried to fight the dread that he felt was now overwhelming him. He could not fail! He shivered at what evil the Princess would do to him.

But several minutes later, panic began to creep up his spine. Now he was certain that his search would be in vain and Jiva would discover that the Phantom was missing. Still, he pressed on. He had no other choice.

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Spectro looked at the young flesh-shadow and noticed his stunned reaction. The boy knew who he was.

"You recognize me," the Spectre said, but his tone and face hid his emotions well.

"Yes! At the human town of Shadesville a few weeks ago. You're…you're the commander of the Spectre army!"

Danny was surprised how much younger this Spectre looked than he had originally believed when the teen first saw the Spectre from a distance in Shadesville. The boy had assumed a much older Spectre would naturally be in charge of an army. If the Spectre were human, he could easily have been a few years older than Jazz.

"You are correct," Spectro said, a slight smile curling to one side of his mouth. The Phantom-of-the flesh was also obviously intelligent. "My name is Spectro."

Danny inadvertently frowned at the oddity of this situation. Was this the Spectre's way of introducing themselves? Attacking first and then asking questions? But he said nevertheless. "And I am…"

Spectro finished the sentence for him. "Danny Phantom. You told us at the flesh-town of Shadesville a few weeks ago."

"Oh, yeah, right...Uhm, now what are you going to do with me?" the boy asked.

He knew he was still weak from their encounter and could not fight him right now. And he hoped that the Spectre wouldn't ask him how he was able to survive here.

"Nothing," the Spectre told the boy, drifting slightly from the light. He turned back to the boy and added, "You need to find your friends and leave the Spectre Realm! We do not want any interference from outsiders. Our affairs are our own!"

"No argument there!" Danny said moving the light a little higher since it had begun to dim. Another thought drifted into focus. He decided to chance it. He, too, had the strange feeling that he could trust this shadow ghost. "But after I find my friends and everything has calmed down, I have some information that might be the answer to all your problems. It's about the Prophesy's Omen."

"How do you know about **that**?" Spectro growled in sudden suspicion, not mentioning that the boy had mispronounced 'prophecy'. Still, underneath, he was not surprised. There was evidence of someone following that mystery trail all along. And it was too coincidental that this creature kept happening upon the same interests of the Spectre. He was certain that it must have been this creature that was behind it all. It would not have been too hard, after all, even for one so young as this one, to at least read the scrolls—though he was truly amazed that this creature had been clever enough to solve the riddles. That would only make sense, since Spectro had discovered a while ago why this flesh-shadow would be able to read their language. And would also be the reason why they could communicate all this time. It was a side effect of the creature's getting hit by that ray from Phasma. The Spectre understood all this. What he didn't understand was why this creature was interested in the affairs of species not of his own?

Another pressing thought surfaced…Could it be, then, that he was really under the obedience of Jiva after all and just using this story as a ploy? But he no longer felt that this Phantom was a foe. Still, he could not be certain unless he asked the creature directly. If this shadow-of-the-flesh was a servant of Jiva, revealing any more of his suspicions of her might be dangerous.

"Whoah!" Danny said, raising his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean anything by that! It's a very long story. But I think that's one of the reasons why my friends were captured. But I'm not sure. I was hoping that maybe if we work together, maybe all of our questions will be answered."

Spectro looked at the flesh-shadow, puzzled. He still was not sure. If the creature were in league with Jiva, why had he not demanded safe passage from him? What was in it for this Phantom? Why should he care about the Spectre? Still, he called that Spectre prisoner his friend. But how did he know of him?...And he was concerned about the flesh-creatures as well? Odd, though. What kind of being was this that befriended both Spectre and flesh-creatures? And how was it that he was not already showing signs of decay here? He did look like he was suffering; still, was he not a flesh-shadow? What kind of magic did he behold to keep from perishing?... But, then, if he had some magic, why could he be defeated? And why could he breathe like the flesh-creatures?...He did not think that shadows-of-the-flesh did that…So, should he really trust him after all?...But he did not believe that the creature was lying. Maybe…..Spectro felt a hunch. He went with it. "I do not understand all that is happening with you. In order for me to completely trust you, I have some questions to ask of you! For instance, how is it that you can survive here?"

Danny bit his inside lip, debating on whether to reveal the rings. He had already regretted his decision to tell this Spectre about the Omen.

But just at that moment, they heard a lot of noise just outside their door. Spectro pulled the boy against the wall and shielded him with his own shadow body. However, the noise stayed outside the door and quickly died away.

Spectro knew that he could not linger here much longer. He would have to wait for the explanations of the flesh-shadow later. He finally uttered, "Perhaps if it is possible, I will send for you when the Spectre affair is settled... And I have yet gotten word about your flesh creatures…. Or rather, humans. But my soldiers will bring them to me if they find them first. And they will be unharmed. In the meantime, go and look for your companions as well. And leave our Realm as soon as you do. The danger is mounting. And I cannot help you. I have more important matters to attend to!"

Danny looked at him in surprise. He was letting him go! Though he knew he was pressed for time, and didn't want to press his luck with this Spectre as well, he extended his hand in friendship. "Thank you for understanding."

Spectro looked down at the hand and then back up with questioning eyes. He did not understand the meaning, nor with the light still glowing from Danny's other hand, did he notice the slightly glowing ring.

Danny smiled in embarrassment. Pulling his arm back, the teen squeamishly added, "Right. It's all right. Maybe one day we can have a long talk and explain a lot of things to each other." He turned away without another word. He headed to his right when he exited the room.

And Danny resumed his slow, random search.

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Bhuto continued to soar onward. He stopped at a crossroad of hallways and growled. He would avenge himself on that creature for creating such havoc with his escape!

He checked around again. This is where he guessed would be as good a place as any to start to look for the flesh-shadow in _this_ area. He planned to circle back toward where he surmised the Phantom had first gone after all. He would then rendezvous with his soldiers at their agreed-upon place if he was unsuccessful in finding the Phantom.

A few minutes later, he heard a door just ahead of him open. But oddly, no one came through. Curious about this, he darted into a nearby dark corner. He spied toward the door again. He thanked the fates! The Phantom-of-the-flesh was sneaking around the door and headed right to him!

The shadow ghost knew he had only one chance and it had to be a precise hit. He smiled menacingly as he aimed his Spectre hand and waited, hoping the flesh-shadow would not detect him.

Finally, the Phantom drew nearer and Bhuto was surprised that the flesh-creature didn't seem aware of his presence. But, of course, Bhuto couldn't know that Danny's 'ghost sense' wasn't working here. Still, the shadow ghost didn't hesitate and thrust his beam at the boy….

Success! The boy crumbled immediately, knocked completely out by Bhuto's blow.

The shadow ghost quickly soared up to the unconscious teen and was about to thrust another beam meant to drive intense pain into the creature for its audacity. Suddenly, the shadow ghost noticed the fresh wound on the flesh-shadow's neck. Did he do _that_ to him when he attacked him just now? He shivered in fright. Even if he did not, and Jiva discovered that, she would certainly blame him. After all, Jiva had charged him to guard the creature. He forgot about getting revenge on the flesh-shadow. Trembling, he scooped the senseless teen up and charged back to Jiva's chambers. He hoped she hadn't returned yet….

He was there in no time and knocked on the door. He was surprised that there was no answer, but the soldiers he had left there had been summoned away. He looked frantically around. At least the book was still there! He quickly entered and went right to the wall where the boy had first been bound. But when he tried to fasten the chains back around one of his wrists, he gasped. The wrist and ankle restraints had been destroyed!

He placed Danny down and began to panic. The princess would be furious. He anxiously scanned the room for something that could help him. Then he spied the curtains. And their cords. He knew this was the best plan. He produced a claw and quickly slashed the cords off. Looking nervously toward the door, hoping that he still had time, he began to fasten the ropes to the chains. He still was so worried that the princess would prematurely return, he kept his gaze to the door, and blindly tied the boy's wrists and ankles to the curtain cords as he did.

Finally, he was through, and pulled on the knots to make certain they were tight. In his haste and his skittishness, he had failed to notice the rings. He gave the knots another pull when he suddenly gasped at what happened next. The chains seemed to come alive and instantly wrapped around the ropes like snakes. The cords then morphed into red strains of fire, but they did not burn into the creature's flesh. And the glow that they gave off was so intense, that they entirely hid both of the boy's hands and feet. The rings were now hidden as well.

Bhuto sighed that nothing more serious happened to the Phantom. And he was certain that these frightful bonds would hold the Phantom.

He darted outside and called to the two nearby soldiers who were passing by. "Shi sou**! **Obake! The Princess commands you to guard the Phantom-of-the-flesh and the book until she returns."

The soldiers nodded, but were terrified with this foisted-upon responsibility. As Bhuto darted off, they entered the room. But when they saw the red glowing bands around the still flesh-shadow and the book, they lost their nerve. They looked at each other. They knew they need only to obey the Prophesy or Spectro. They quickly left and headed toward the opposite side of the castle, leaving Danny and Libro alone again.

Or so it seemed.

Those same green eyes that had visited the princess' chamber before emerged from the shadows. They quickly scanned the area before retreating once more into the blackness.

Meanwhile, Bhuto charged up to rendezvous with the rest of his soldiers. He was determined to capture the flesh-creatures and solidify his favor in Jiva's eyes.

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Jiva knew she had to tend to this matter herself. She needed to find the flesh-creatures soon. Only then, when they were within her clutches, would the Phantom see that he had no choice but to give his complete obedience to her.

She moved swiftly, gathering as many soldiers as she could find along the way. Finally, she neared a crossroad of hallways. On one end was the entrance to a large room. The other hall led into an even darker passageway. At that very moment, she did not know that she was just a door away from the flesh-creatures she was seeking.

Suddenly, she heard several other Spectre oozing out of the darker corridor. It was Bhuto and more of her army!

As soon as he had cleared the blackness, Bhuto met with Jiva's eyes.

"Bhuto!" Jiva called, forgetting that she had ordered him to guard Danny. "Help me! I have not located the flesh-creatures yet!"

"Yes, Highness!" he immediately said, relieved that she had not remembered her command to him. But then he jolted when he saw the amulet swinging from her neck.

Now all together, Jiva, Bhuto and several Spectre soldiers opened the door. Its painful cry of protest echoed down the dark hallway they currently occupied. But they ignored it as they quickly entered**. **

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Spectro left the room in which he had met Danny almost immediately afterwards. But he went in a different direction. As he soared through the castle, he occasionally would call a servant here or another there; and would also pull soldiers aside, whispering commands to them as he went. Those Spectre to which the commander spoke acknowledged him with a bow and sped off to relay his message.

After he had finally met his key contacts, Spectro summoned a few of his most trusted lieutenants. "We must find the flesh-creatures before they are harmed. Be sure the word is spread that they are to be brought to my quarters once they are found. I must attend to another important matter. And make haste! We must be ready for my signal!"

They all bowed low and headed off, doubling their efforts to find the flesh-creatures.

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Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 ran out of the room they had fled and down the hallway. It met a wall and, like the place at which they had first rematerialized, two halls with doors at either end diverged from it. Since all three of them heard something very loud coming from behind the door to their right, they immediately headed to their left. The door flew open. They immediately entered through the doorway and locked the door behind them.

"Oh, man, another room like the last one!" Tucker cried as he quickly scanned the area with the beam from his PDA. He handed his PDA to Sam before he immediately dragged a bench toward the locked door.

Johnny 13 hurried with another bench and then said, "Let's keep moving! I'd hate to get trapped like rats."

"There's another door over there," Sam announced, throwing the beam toward where she was referring to and then quickly handed Tucker his PDA. Not needing any further convincing, they raced to the far door but immediately froze before they reached it. It was opening and the screech it made sent painful shudders down all of their spines!

The trio stood their ground and Tucker fired at the first Spectre soldier who slinked in.

"Get behind us, Sam!" he ordered as he, and now Johnny 13, continued to fire at whatever came through the door.

But suddenly, the door on the _other_ side of the room began to shake. The benches could not hold the onslaught and more Spectre soldiers burst in. Now the fugitives were pinned in. They backed up, trying to make a stand against one of the walls.

Then, however, Johnny 13 was hit with several black rays almost as soon as the other Spectre had rushed in, and fell senseless. Now even more Spectre began to circle the two young humans in ready attack. But they had stopped firing, hesitant to attack these two powerful flesh-creatures who had managed to infiltrate their castle.

At first, Tucker kept firing as he and Sam pressed against the wall. But since the Spectre were afraid to return his fire and had ceased in their attack, he, too, stopped firing. But he kept his guard up and stayed in front of Sam.

Finally, two more Spectre filed out of the door and immediately thrust their black seals at Tucker. He responded with his own greenish-white beam, which destroyed each of the rays in quick turn. A couple of other Spectre returned fire, but again, Tucker successfully countered them.

Just before the last attack, Bhuto emerged into the room with Jiva and when the princess saw what was happening, she pointed to Tucker and commanded, "Stop him, you fools!" The amulet around her flared and the other smaller amulets around each of the Spectre responded. She had inadvertently given more power to their black rays.

Bhuto looked over to where Jiva had pointed, and he immediately screeched in anger. It was the same flesh-creature that had twice attacked him in the Flesh Plane! Now was the time for his revenge. He darted upward toward the ceiling as his other soldiers tried in vain to subdue the boy. The shadow ghost saw an opening and produced a very powerful red-and-black beam.

It hit Tucker right in the abdomen. The force of the blow knocked both his Ghost Gabberettes and glasses off him; and sent him screaming in pain as both he and his PDA crashed to the floor.

"Tucker!" Sam shrieked and immediately knelt to his side, another beam just barely missing her head.

But he could not answer her call. She hunched over him, stunned in disbelief. How could this be happening? Why could they be injured here? She blinked away her thoughts and could see that even though his wound was serious, he was not bleeding that much. The red-and-black seal had both severely injured and cauterized him. But to her building dread, Tucker was already looking a little dusky. Sam had no idea he was suffering from internal injuries. But she feared the worse. And that was bad. Very bad.

Seeing that the flesh-girl was unarmed, Jiva immediately commanded, "Stop firing!"

The Spectre immediately obeyed and hovered in fear. Attacking these powerful creatures was a bad omen.

But Sam wasn't going to give up that easily and reached over to retrieve Tucker's PDA. Before she could reach the machine, however, a large red-and-black beam fired near her hand. She yanked her hand back, but still did not surrender. She pulled herself in front of her friend and defiantly guarded him with her own body.

"Don't you dare touch him!" she seethed through gritted teeth, controlling her breathing and ignoring the tears and sweat already falling with her anger and grief. She stood her ground, planting herself firmly and defiantly as her hands trembled with how tightly she fisted them.

And even though no Spectre except Jiva had understood what she had said, her stance was more than a challenge; they knew it as the undeniable threat that it was: she wouldn't hesitate to strike any creature that neared her friend.

Jiva smiled in admiration. Here was that insignificant flesh-girl, totally defenseless, yet courageously defying her. _"No wonder the Phantom-of-the-flesh found her so attractive,"_ she thought. And then she was pleased at her next thought, _"And he still will!"_

She pulled out a few red strands from her head and groaned as she pushed them inside of her own form. Then she concentrated, and the amulet burned with an intense orange-red flame just before Jiva charged at the girl with her claws ready in attack.

And Sam screamed in excruciating pain at the top of her lungs.

"Sam!" Danny screamed with a gasp, jolting himself into consciousness.

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**A/N: A lot has happened: Danny finds out that the shadow ghost who defeated him in the fight in the dark hallway is none other than Spectro! Spectro lets him go and runs to get things ready for his own matters, even though he has assured Danny that he will try to have his soldiers find his friends and keep them from harm.. Danny continues to look for his friends, but Bhuto finds **_**him **_**first and captures him again. Bhuto brings Danny back to Jiva's chambers and rebinds him. Afterward, Bhuto goes to look for Sam, Tucker and inadvertently, Johnny 13. He meets up with Jiva and together, with a bunch of Spectre soldiers, they find the fleeing trio. Johnny 13 is shot and incapacitated. Bhuto sees that Tucker is among the company of fugitives and shoots him in revenge. Tucker falls as he struck down by Bhuto's blow. Unconscious with a very serious wound, Sam knows that Tucker is in grave danger. Still, she defies all the Spectre, ready to fight every one of them in order to protect her friend even though she is totally defenseless. Jiva admires her courage and now knows one of the reasons why Danny has found her attractive. She charges at Sam in attack, and Danny, who has been unconscious and bound in Jiva's room in another part of the castle, is startled into consciousness just as Jiva attacks Sam.**


	55. Chapter 55 Absorption

**A/N: How are you doing? Are you as anxious as I am? Yep, I'm rising out of my seat as it falls down that roller coaster hill even though I'm strapped in, too! Here's what's happened so far: Danny finds out that the shadow ghost who defeated him in the fight in the dark hallway is none other than-and I know y'all knew!-Spectro! Spectro lets him go and runs to get things ready for his own matters, even though he has assured Danny that he will try to have his soldiers find his friends and keep them from harm.. Danny continues to look for his friends, but Bhuto finds **_**him **_**first and captures him again. Bhuto brings Danny back to Jiva's chambers and rebinds him. Afterward, Bhuto goes to look for Sam, Tucker and inadvertently, Johnny 13. He meets up with Jiva and together, with a bunch of Spectre soldiers, they find the fleeing trio. Johnny 13 is shot and incapacitated. Bhuto sees that Tucker is among the company of fugitives and shoots him in revenge. Tucker falls as he struck down by Bhuto's blow. Tucker is unconscious with a very serious wound, and Sam knows that her friend is in grave danger. Still, she defies all the Spectre, ready to fight every one of them in order to protect her friend even though she is totally defenseless. Jiva admires her courage and now knows one of the reasons why Danny has found her attractive. She charges at Sam in attack, and Danny, who has been unconscious and bound in Jiva's room in another part of the castle, is startled into consciousness just as Jiva attacks Sam.**

**Oh, and I guess that the chappies that happen from here on, are **_**all**_** personal favorite chappies of mine! (It's really hard to rate them, so this one is also in my top five..in fact, it's a very strong 3!)**

**Now, here is the roller coaster's loop-tee-loop part: Chapter 55. IDNOAC and Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 55—Absorption

Danny's breathing continued to increase with his panic. His adrenaline shot him to high alert, totally clearing his head. He didn't care how he got here or who had attacked him. He just had to get out of here! Something was terribly wrong and he knew it had to do with Sam! Then he had another terrifying thought_. "Tucker!"_ But what was wrong with him-–though he knew it was horrible, too-was blurred in his mind.

He immediately pulled on his bindings harder than he had before. He had to get to them!

"Aarggh!" he grunted, concentrating with all his might. But he was surprised an instant later when, with his desperation, the rings on either hand had begun to glow fiercely. Suddenly, their light joined, forming a bright green aura which expanded and finally engulfed the fiery ropes. The bindings immediately began to buckle.

Encouraged by this, the boy concentrated and tugged even harder. His right hand snapped free! He focused even more and the aura now began to creep down his body until it entirely enveloped him. A moment later, the three remaining fiery bands melted and he pulled himself completely from them.

He flew over to Libro again. He was about to touch the red bands holding his friend with the same green energy when all of the sudden, the door to the room cracked open.

His head snapped to attention. He startled when he thought he heard Sam screaming to him as if she were right in front of him. _"Danny! She's coming! Jiva's coming!" _He jerked his head around, quickly scanning the room.

But his girlfriend was no where in sight.

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Bhuto floated in shock at what had just happened. Could it be? He motioned for the guards to pick up Johnny 13 and Tucker.

"Leave them be. I have no more use for them. And send word that the flesh-creatures have been found."

Bhuto hesitated, terrified of the strange voice. But he finally nodded and motioned for the Spectre soldiers to leave the boy and the biker ghost where they lay. The other Spectre there were just as terrified and were relieved that Jiva didn't want more of them as they quickly bowed and left to spread the news…

"Now it is time! This is better than I could ever have planned for. Bhuto, we are to return to my chambers immediately!"

Bhuto again nodded to the princess. But it wasn't the princess. It was the flesh-girl speaking to him. But it wasn't the same flesh-girl. She had the amulet around her neck. Her hair was no longer black. It was black with red flaming tips. Her fingers weren't just fingers anymore. They were fingers with red claws jutting through her fingertips. Her eyes were no longer amethyst. They were fiery red with amethyst centers. And her ruby red lips had unmistakable Spectre fangs smiling evilly at the other Spectre.

By the power of the amulet and her own power, Jiva had completely melded into Sam. She pulled out the Fenton Ghost Gabberettes from the girl's ears and let them fall to the floor. She would have no need of them.

Sounding as Sam, Jiva said, "Yes! This is perfect! I can feel her thoughts. I can feel her emotions! They are wonderful! Stronger than I thought possible. And what is this? They feel…familiar? How delicious! And they all are now mine! And now that I, too, am part shadow and part flesh—especially the flesh-part he has strong feelings for—the Phantom-of-the-flesh will yield to me!"

She paused a moment, stumbling a little when she took a step. Being a flesh-creature was suddenly a challenge for her. She looked herself over. Was this flesh-shell damaged when she took it over? She had to see.

She concentrated and a mirror materialized on the wall just after the amulet glowed. She walked over to and was pleased how quickly she had gained control over this flesh-blood. She looked in the mirror, inspecting Sam's body. She liked what she saw. But then she thought about it a moment. "No! This will not do! The Phantom will not be pleased!"

She concentrated again and just as the amulet radiated with its orange-red light, Sam's body had returned as it had looked before Jiva took it over. She reinspected it in the mirror. It would please the Phantom. "Yes, this flesh-blood is now mine and the Phantom-of-the-flesh will also be mine!" She smiled in self-satisfaction at the image in the mirror. Then before turning toward the door, she hissed to Bhuto, "We return to the Phantom."

She quickly exited the room with the remaining Spectre, leaving Tucker and Johnny 13 where they had fallen.

But before she had gone too far, Jiva began to feel dizzy.

"Wait, Bhuto! I have to rest. This flesh-blood shell is weaker than I thought."

Bhuto helped her into a nearby room, where she could sit a moment to rest until she felt better.

And Bhuto waited, growing in his discontent.

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A swirling, black vortex seemed to suck in on itself, spiraling upward toward a bright light. How long she had been stuck in this whirlpool of blackness she didn't know. But she knew she had to get to that light. She struggled with all her might and as she concentrated, she inched painfully closer to the brightness.

But before she could reach it, she was surrounded by a penetrating, totally disbelieving scream that seemed to rack her mind.

"_NOOOOOO! How can this be? You are a flesh-creature! A weakling! You cannot fight me!" _Jiva's words were as trumpets in her ears. But she knew she was hearing the words in her mind.

Jiva continued, _"You do not deserve to be Sam! I do! I am Sam, not you!"_

Suddenly, Sam knew! She was totally aware of what happened. Aware that she was awake but imprisoned in her own mind and body. But also aware of her surroundings in her mind and what was happening. And she knew who did this to her: Jiva! And Jiva had done more than overshadowed her. She had become her, as if two people had occupied one body. Only that, Jiva controlled her body and shared her mind.

But Jiva didn't know whom she was dealing with. If Jiva wanted a mental war, Sam was more than game. The Spectre didn't know that Sam would never go quietly into the night. If she just could keep the Spectre off balance enough to reach that light….

"_Why did you take my body, then, if I'm such a weakling? What do you want with me_?" Sam mentally spat back.

Jiva didn't answer her right away. She was still lamenting in shock on what was happening. _"How can this be? No flesh-creature has ever been aware that a Spectre was within them. You should not be this free at all! And especially not free to defy me!"_

Sam did not know the answer to that as well. Humans usually suffered from complete amnesia during and after being overshadowed. But she was not being overshadowed. And she was totally aware of her insight into the unique situation that she found herself in. She was even aware that she was not even confused after being attacked by a Spectre.

She—and neither Jiva, for that matter- could not know that the amulet had made this possible. Jiva was too vain to realize that she could not wield the amulet as deftly as she had thought, and that its effects had been weakened. But even if its powers hadn't been weakened by the blow to the floor, its effects on humans were totally different than any other creature. And neither knew that by absorbing herself into Sam's body that Jiva's own powers would not work as well as she thought. But no matter the reason, Sam didn't care. All she wanted now was to get this creature out of her, if she could.

"_Then you should take this as your cue and get out of me! Obviously, you are totally clueless and don't have a handle of all of this at all!"_ Sam firmly said; and even though she felt as if she were talking, she was only speaking with her mind.

"_You will be silent!" _Jiva commanded, and suddenly Sam felt as if something was around her throat, squeezing it. But it was all still in her mind. _"And you will do as I command!"_

Sam struggled to fight back and the pressure around her mental neck eased. _"What do you want with me?"_ she demanded again.

"_You do not demand, flesh-creature! You will do as I will! And I want you to get the Phantom for me! He will not take me as a Spectre but he will take me as you!"_

"_I won't let you do it! And he won't be fooled," _Sam hissed back, resuming her struggle to get to the light.

Suddenly, there was a jolt of red energy that pushed Sam back from the light and she felt dizzy. Jiva had discovered her plan! _"You think yourself clever, flesh-blood? I have full knowledge of what you are thinking. And be warned! You cannot fight me! If you do, I will destroy your very thoughts. Not that your thoughts mean anything enough for me to bother myself destroying them, do you understand? You mean nothing to me."_

Jiva jolted at her next thought and smiled_._ Because this flesh-creature had been able to somehow escape her complete control, she had momentarily allowed the flesh-creature to cloud her mind with her own jealousy! But was it jealousy or envy? And how was it that she now knew the _name _of these…**these **_**emotions**__? _She smiled again. She should have taken the flesh-girl from the very beginning. It would have made everything so very easy. But it did not matter and she would not chide herself. She would rectify all that now.

She concentrated, but it didn't take as much effort as it had with the Phantom. After all, she was really sharing this flesh-creature's mind. But only in a 'one-way' kind of way. She had the advantage that she could read Sam's thoughts, but Sam could not read Jiva's thoughts, unless the shadow ghost willed it so.

Jiva thought this would be so easy. She could tell that this 'Sam' had very unique, complex thoughts. And she was very intelligent. And there was something more….interesting... a weakness that she could manipulate. She would not let this creature defy her again. _"And do you not know,"_ she coolly continued, _"that the Phantom also thinks you mean nothing to him? He has remembered all that you had done to him. All your anger you threw at him. All your secrets you hid from him. Things that you did not trust him with. He has told me all of it, and he is angry at you. You have wounded him and that is why he wished me to attack you!"_

Sam's mind blinked in disbelief. That didn't sound like Danny to her. Yes, they had fought, but they had worked it through. And she had kept some secrets from him. But she didn't do that to hurt or anger him. She did because she was…

But when Jiva caught wind of her thoughts, the shadow ghost gently interrupted her, "_So, you are afraid? Afraid to trust him?_ _Afraid to tell him what you truly feel? Yes, I understand now. Your feelings are your weakness, and they make you vulnerable. Especially that very strong feeling you have for him that makes you even more susceptible to….hurt. That __**is**__ frightening."_

Jiva smiled when she felt Sam's mind yielded a little. Sam did not know that she had confirmed Jiva's assumption when she did…

Now Jiva had the flesh-girl where she wanted her. She said even more soothingly, "_You are afraid that if you told him everything, especially those strong feelings for him, he may reject you in the end, am I right? He might hurt you by finding someone more worthy? Finding someone who would be better than you? Ah-ha! I see that you have also had the jealousy when his eye turned to other…girls! You have had others near you that you felt would be better than you, am I right?" _

Sam's thoughts jolted a little with Jiva's words, and she couldn't understand why she could suddenly feel mental pain…and fear. How could this thing inside of her possibly know about these insecurities that she had not even told Libro totally about? After all, she had not been able to sort them out herself. But she was afraid. Afraid to admit her feelings. She did not want to be weak, but also knew she had needs. After all, she was only human. But how could Jiva possibly understand all this? She was never human.

But Jiva interrupted Sam's thoughts once more. _"Or, are you afraid that he might become disinterested? After all, he is very important and needs a mate who is his equal. Perhaps you know he will find someone who could match his power enough to help him, am I right? Tsk. Tsk. Poor dear. You know you are not his equal because you do not have power such as his. In the end, you are nothing more than a burden. You hold him back. And when he finally realizes this, he will turn from you without looking back. You know this is true. That is why you feel this jealousy. Once he leaves you, __**no one**__ will ever want you. You can only offer weakness and fear to those around you. You are unworthy of any creature."_

She felt a little dizzier as Jiva's words pressed harder on her mind. Again, the shadow princess had cut to the heart. She had dealt with all these insecurities, yet she was afraid to talk about them, to admit them. Sam began to tremble, but again, only in her mind.

Jiva smiled, tasting the flesh-girl's weakness. She seemed to whisper confidently to Sam, as one's confidant would. "_Then, you have a right to be afraid. But you do not need to fear any longer. I can make you strong. Strong enough that he would never would reject you! Strong enough to be his true equal in everything imaginable. Help me help you…"_

Sam continued to feel dizzy as Jiva enveloped her mind. And she began to drift away from the light.

Jiva felt all that Sam was experiencing, too. She smiled. How so very easy it was for her to control this one. The Phantom did not deserve such a weakling as her. He deserved one as strong as herself. She sent her will toward the yielding flesh-girl. _"Yes, let me help you. I will make you more desirable to him, if you let me have control…"_

Sam tried to shake her spinning head, but she knew her head was not moving and that she was just trying to clear her mind. She had to admit that Jiva had been right. She was afraid. She wanted to always be there for Danny, but she knew she really couldn't. She didn't have any special powers. She shuddered at her next wild thought. Could Jiva make her stronger? But she immediately rejected the temptation, upset with herself for even _**thinking**_ it. This was all wrong!

And Jiva interrupted her thoughts once more when she felt the girl toy with being stronger. She pushed against the girl's resistance as she probed Sam's mind. The shadow ghost just knew that in a few moments more, she would have complete victory over this flesh-creature. _"Oh? What is this memory I see? Very interesting. And, what? You do not know of it? Then let me show you how much I can help you…."_

Jiva licked her human lips in delight at peering at this darker side of Sam._ "You __**were**__ stronger one time. Do you not recognize it? Do you not see that it is only through the power of another that you will keep the Phantom?"_

"_I don't know what you're talking about," _Sam objected, but immediately gasped when Jiva opened her mind to the memory to which the shadow princess was referring. It was of the time when she had been controlled by Undergrowth.

"_I don't believe you! You're messing with_ _me!"_ Sam objected more strongly this time, but then groaned under the pressure of the images flashing before her. It was as if she were outside of herself, watching a movie of herself.

And even though Sam could not believe how different she looked in this mental movie of her actions under Undergrowth's control, she could not deny that it was indeed herself, no matter how she tried to think otherwise. She mentally shuddered when she saw herself lovingly caressing Undergrowth's 'children', assuring them that she would care for them because she was their 'mother'.

But then, she gasped at the next image, though she knew it was in her mind. What was she **doing**? Allowing—no, _helping_-Undergrowth to capture her parents? Her grandma? And Danny's family, too? Even the whole town? And she actually commanded the "mind vine" to attack Tucker?

"_No!"_ her thoughts gasped in dread. _"This is __**not **__real! You're just trying to trick me! I don't believe any of it!"_

"_You __**know**__ very well I am not trying to fool you! I only want you to know how strong you were. How strong you can become again! Just look! Look how powerful you were!"_

Sam couldn't understand why she felt a hand grab her under her chin that wasn't there and force her to look at the mental images Jiva had retrieved from her memory. She tried to close the eyes that weren't there, but, of course, she couldn't.

But what she saw next distressed her more…She was squared off in front of Danny, begging him_…"Stay, Danny. Stay and rule with me…"_ Did she just say that? No, this wasn't true. But she felt the strong emotional memory. It was true! She had wanted the power…she had wanted Danny at her side, using his powers in the wrong way. This time, she did not question the tears that should not be there. How could she?

But then what Danny said in response riveted her from her anguish_…"I always thought you ruled, Sam. Just not like this…" _What was that? What did he say? She felt her head clear a little.

But Jiva rebounded, clouding Sam's mind again with images of her overseeing Undergrowth's plants in attacking Danny, and sitting idly by when Undergrowth hurt him. She began to cry in her mind again, distressed. How could she hurt him? How could she hurt Tucker and all of her loved ones?

But then, Sam remembered how Danny was when he told her some of what happened during this entire episode. He was not angry with her, or even blamed her. He had been very understanding through it all…and he had never rejected her because of it! In fact, he had purposely spared her the details. She now realized that he did this because he knew that if she knew how…**evil**… she had been, it would have distressed her as greatly as it was now.

But Jiva interrupted her thoughts once more. _"But as you can see…"_ she began as she allowed Sam to see more images, the ones where Undergrowth's enveloped Danny for the last time, pulling him deeply into the ground. Sam concentrated on ignoring the Spectre. She wanted to see her own reaction to what was happening to her boyfriend at that moment. She looked at her face. It looked confused, not pleased, that is, until Undergrowth gained control over her again. Encouraged by that fleeting confirmation that she had not meant to hurt Danny, she no longer tried to keep Jiva's thoughts at bay, _"You hurt the Phantom! You were going to have your servants destroy him! You are unworthy to be his mate. But I am!"_

Sam winced at first, but quickly dismissed the thought.

Sam's body frowned in irritation. The girl was still resisting! But Jiva would not be foiled. She continued, "_But do not blame yourself! I will make you strong again. Even stronger."_

"_Stronger…" _Sam mused again. But then, Danny's words suddenly echoed again in her mind. _"I always thought you ruled…" _She mentally smiled at his compliment. It was even before they were a couple. _"..but not like this…" _She jolted, and the emotional realization helped her to begin to come out of her funk. Danny knew at this point when he said those words to her that she would have been strong enough to be his equal. That she was powerful. But he didn't want that from her. He wanted her as she was. Human, powerless and all. And then Sam felt an overpowering feeling, a feeling that gave her strength. He loved her as she was!

"_NOO!"_ Jiva screamed in Sam's mind when she caught a wind of Sam's thoughts. _"You cannot have any kind of thoughts unless I will it!" _

This time, Sam was more determined to do just that. And she concentrated, trying to block the Spectre princess's thoughts.

Suddenly—and unexpectedly-Sam groaned with the next spell of dizziness. But then, the next words she heard startled her. They were not hers. They were Jiva's. But the shadow ghost was not speaking to her. She was talking to herself!

"_I will not be defeated! This foolish flesh-girl does not know with whom she is dealing! I will have total control. She will not prevent me!_ _And she is no more worthy of the Phantom than the speck on the floor! And when I have total control, she will not even be worthy of even one more thought from me! She might as well be non-existent. And to think! She thought herself strong enough to defy me!"_

Sam's mind was slightly stunned in disbelief. She actually felt Jiva in emotional turmoil! The Spectre princess had not expected this. She thought that humans had total control over their emotions, and even that emotions had held some kind of special power…. Sam listened in more attentively….

"_Strong? But how could she not resist if she were not strong? What kind of creature is this?"_

Suddenly, Sam felt a sharp sting shoot through her head immediately after Jiva thought this. She instinctively erased this connection. And when she did, she felt as if she would faint from the pressure that was seizing her mind. Finally, after what felt like hours, the pain left her. She felt dizzy, but not as much as she had when Jiva had been probing her thoughts. Then, Sam was aware of a distressing voice. Again, Sam knew it was Jiva—talking to herself.

"_Ah, I see what this creature is made of! And what? I know of their names once more? Being Sam is delicious. In fact, I can also be like her! I am strong! I am already courageous—though I feel she is even more so." _

This time, Jiva frowned in Sam's body. She was confused about this next thought_. She is honest, though I am not certain what that means. Oh, I see! That means she will tell you what she thinks about the situation without hesitating. Then why did she not tell her friends her feelings?" _But Jiva could not know that honesty and emotion could be separate. Even though Sam was not always honest about her _feelings_ due to her insecurities, she was an honest person. Only humans could understand the difference. And Jiva could not.

"_I feel passion from this flesh-blood as well. Passion for justice, passion for righteousness. And what? A strong desire to defend the defenseless? Then I do not understand…why did she do all those wicked things? She did not defend those defenseless flesh-bloods. She hurt them when they were powerless."_

But Sam knew why. Humans weren't perfect. They would do wrong things even when underneath they were not like those evils. What made the difference, though, was to learn from those mistakes, better yourself, and vow not to repeat them. Sam's mind began to come into sharper focus. But then, Jiva's musings interrupted her once more…

"_And it seems that this creature is loyal. Fiercely loyal…to her friends… and especially to the_ _Phantom."_ Jiva's mind jolted. She was not 'loyal' to anyone. She interrupted herself with her next thought. _"And what is this? A feeling that is both loyal and passionate? Yet, at the same time, beyond all feelings? Whatever that is, it is deep in this flesh-blood. I cannot comprehend this. She does not always show this feeling to others, but it is deep, real, strong."_

Sam jolted this time. She was certain that Jiva was talking about 'love'. And Sam knew she loved deeply, intensely. She just wasn't all giddy and silly about it as others might be. But that didn't mean she didn't love. Her love was beyond emotions. And she showed it with her actions. And she felt a surge of strength from that thought. For the first time, she had sorted it all out. It was not her nature to always admit her feelings to others. But it _was_ in her nature to show it. Still, she suddenly realized that it would be all right for her to admit them now and then. After all, her friends, especially Danny, couldn't know what was in her mind.

She sighed in mental relief. And her mind was now completely free from Jiva's spell. It was time to get down to business. She would resist her with all her might! She startled again…just like Danny would! She smiled, but then felt a sharp pain as she heard Jiva laugh through her body. She listened more carefully as Jiva continued to boast,_ "But not strong enough! I will defeat her! She will serve me! And that creature actually thought she was strong enough to be the Phantom's equal? Humph!" _

Shaking the emotions away, realizing that they had been confusing her, Jiva huffed, _"Enough of this foolery! I am strong enough! And I will be in control…of everything! Of the feelings of this flesh-creature…of the Phantom…of the book, the Spectre…and more!"_

Sam mentally gasped when she saw Jiva's next thoughts. NO! She had to stop her! But how?

Sam steeled herself and forcefully replied, _"Any plan you have won't work! You can't pull off being a human any more than I can pull off being a Spectre!" _

"_Foolish flesh-girl! I am all-powerful! I am here, am I not? And you can do nothing to stop me! Not even the Phantom can or will!" _

"_You are not all-powerful! I will fight you! And he will fight you! Somehow, I'll get through to him. He'll know you are a fake and have stolen my body!" _Sam spat, refusing to yield anymore. She _was_ strong!

"_That is what you think! And what you think is no longer of any importance_!" Jiva hissed, totally losing her temper.

Suddenly, Sam was aware of a red aura around her. It was squeezing her entire being. But she was wondering why she was feeling this pressure. She knew she wasn't really breathing. Her body was breathing normally, but in her mind, she knew she wasn't breathing. But she felt as if she was being asphyxiated. She felt her mind becoming numb. And then, a moment later, she was falling, as the black vortex now reversed its direction and sucked her away from the light…

Jiva got up from the chair she had been sitting in. She felt better. "Bhuto!" she said and he startled. "I am ready. The dizziness has left."

She led the way as Bhuto and the other Spectre followed behind. But just as they drew nearer to her chamber, she stopped and felt a little dizzy again. This flesh-creature _was_ stronger than she thought. Sam had regain awareness again.

But Jiva concentrated and turned to Bhuto, "I will go in by myself! Make certain that no one disturbs us!"

"Yes, Highness," he answered, but he barely hid his discomfort. He was slowly realizing that he had as much chance of getting any favors from Jiva as having his princess release the hold she had on that flesh-body.

Jiva felt a little light-headed, but she pushed on. And just as she began to open the door, she could not keep Sam from mentally yelling with all her might, _"Danny! She's coming! Jiva's coming!"_


	56. Chapter 56 Sabotaged Plan

**A/N: Are y'all real dizzy now yourselves? Well, this is what has happened so far: Tucker has been seriously injured by Bhuto's attack. Johnny 13 is still incapacitated, and lies near the gravely injured boy. Danny has managed to escape from Jiva's bindings again thanks to the rings. Jiva has taken over Sam's body, but because of the amulet's strange powers where humans are involved, Sam is totally aware that Jiva has taken a hold of her body. But after Jiva's failed attempt at controlling her, Sam is determined not to go down without a fight.…Personal fav? You bet!!...IDNOAC, and now, here's Chapter 56. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 56—Sabotaged Plan

Just as Sam yelled her frantic message, Jiva felt dizzy and she was forced to stop just before she opened the door. But she was quick to mentally subdued Sam's mind again, and once she was successful, took a deep breath through the flesh-girl's body. Pressing forward, Jiva taunted Sam, _"Foolish of you to help me, flesh-girl! So, is that what you __**really**__ call the Phantom of the-flesh? 'Danny'? How perfect!" _

The door creaked open.

Danny jerked his head toward the door and immediately lost his concentration; and the green aura around his body vanished. He darted toward his Blazers and was glad whatever it was, it was taking its time in opening the door.

Just as he was about to grab his weapons, he caught a glimpse of whom had entered the room.

"Sam!" he screamed, both excited and relieved that she was safe. He left the Blazers behind and flew right to her. But just as he was about to come upon her, he noticed her face changed. He stopped. She didn't seem pleased to see him.

But what he didn't know was that Jiva unconsciously frowned in irritation in Sam's body because he somehow had freed himself from her bonds.

"What's wrong, Sam?" he anxiously asked, finishing his approach to her. "And where's Tucker?"

Jiva grew nervous. Somehow, he already knew something was wrong. Controlling her emotions was harder than she thought. Her face skewed oddly as she tried to cover them up. But, of course, she had never practiced.

"Come, Danny, we have to go! They are all coming! We are in danger," Jiva finally said, rushing up to him.

But he heard her through Sam's voice.

"Yes, I know, but we have to get Libro. He's here, too! And **where's Tucker**?" He was growing more concerned that she hadn't answered his question about their friend yet.

Jiva did not know who Libro was, and she remembered that the flesh-girl had yelled a name that sounded similar to that when Bhuto had shot that flesh-boy. Was it the same one that the Phantom had thought about when they had been discussing the flesh-creatures? She was not certain.

But she pressed on, "We have no more time to spend on that. We must go and have everything secured. Come with me."

She grabbed his hand and began to pull him toward the chains. She had to keep him distracted enough to recapture him.

Danny jolted a little at the touch of his girlfriend's hand. It was burning hot. And why was she pulling him _away _from the way out? Now Danny was getting more apprehensive with her behavior and firmly said, "What are you talking about? And what are you doing? Something has happened to Tucker, I just know it! What are you not telling me, Sam?"

But she silently screamed. She did not care about the creature the Phantom seemed so concerned about. She had to rid the thought from him. "Oh, Danny, I think that he is no longer existing! I mean, I think that he is dead!" But her facial expression did not match the words she had just spoken. She was smiling.

Danny did not know, of course, that Jiva was within Sam. And so, he could not know it was the Spectre Princess who was currently smiling and not his girlfriend. But he knew that Sam's reaction was not right. Sam wouldn't joke about that kind of thing, especially in this serious situation they were all in.

Now he was even more upset. "Sam, if you're joking, it's **not** funny. Why won't you tell me where Tucker is?"

Jiva was growing more nervous. This was not as easy as she thought it would be. Maybe that flesh-girl was right. Being human was difficult. She had to come up with something in a hurry, and she needed to stall for time.

"Uh, uh," she uttered. She concentrated the best she could without closing Sam's eyes. Then she immediately knew she was successful. She had released Sam's mind. She continued, "Uh, right..that is right…actually, he never came with me! He wanted to stay away and play with his little machine! I-I wanted to see you!"

She quickly hissed to Sam in her mind, _"Help me, flesh-girl, or I will destroy you!"_

Sam knew how dangerous this situation was and how vulnerable she was. _"All right,"_ she mentally answered back. But she was lying.

Danny frowned in confusion. Little machine? "That doesn't sound like him!" he finally said, also thinking Sam wasn't sounding _at all_ like Sam.

"_No, you __**know **__he would be here!"_ Sam's desperate voice told him. The boy heard it loudly and clearly but it hadn't projected from the person in front of him.

Realizing the human had tricked her, Jiva's will now tried to suppress Sam's consciousness again. But she was surprised how hard it was for her to do that at this precise moment. Then she realized why. Her new-found emotions and the effort she needed to control this body—and now Sam's mind _and_ will-- were confusing her. But she would not be daunted. Suddenly, she jolted Sam's thoughts away as she placed her body's hands on Danny's shoulders. She pulled him closer to her and said as sweetly as she could, "But there is no need to worry. You know I could not stay away from you!" She inched closer. "I had to come!"

Danny blinked, totally confused by her behavior. He pulled away. She wouldn't act this way under the circumstances. What was wrong? She wasn't worried about Tucker or even Libro. And why was she speaking so weirdly? But then a possible explanation came to him: maybe she had been hit by a Spectre ray! But he couldn't see any obvious wounds.

"Sam, you're acting so strange! Did you get hurt by the Spectre?"

"Yes! Oh, yes! I got hurt by those terrible Spectre!" she excitedly said and then she purposely feigned swooning.

Danny drew closer and immediately scooped her up before she fell. He held her under her back and her knees in both of his arms. He was confused why she felt so warm. But before he could say anything, Jiva reacted instead. She just knew what she needed to do.

Though she had no direct experience of it until now, she had always been interested with the flesh-part of her heritage. She had researched as much as she could on the subject. And there was something that had fascinated her ever since she found out those flesh-creatures and flesh-shadows did this for no reason. Now she would see why. Suddenly, she turned toward him, wrapped her arms around him and surprised him with a huge kiss.

That act was enough to do two things: free Sam from her mental chains and jolt Danny with the truth.

"_DANNY! NO!"_

Danny was startled by Sam's scream. But it had not come directly from the girl in front of him. How could it have? She was still kissing him! He had heard Sam's voice coming from somewhere else! But how was that possible? And what was **wrong** with her?!

His eyebrows creased as Sam continued to kiss him. There had to be a logical explanation for all this! ...Wait… Was she being overshadowed?! But, no, it didn't explain hearing her voice. Humans were totally unaware when they became taken over by ghosts!

But then suddenly, as his focus returned to the lips currently on his own, he realized something that caused him to abruptly pull away from his 'girlfriend', and put her down.

Her kiss… It was **not** Sam's kiss!

Danny placed the back of his hand on his mouth as he stared wide-eyed at Sam. And at suddenly seeing flashes of red behind her violet eyes, he backed away from her, now unsure if the girl in front of him was _his_ Sam.

"What is wrong, Danny?" Jiva said, trying to sound reassuring in Sam's voice as she stepped back toward him. Even though she did not think that the 'kiss' was anything special now that she had felt it, she did not think he had been upset by it. But now, she was not sure, because of his reaction.

He had backed up again.

This time, she tried harder. She would be pleasing to him, she just knew it. She swayed closer, cooing, "What is wrong, dearest? Am I not pleasing to you? Do you not like me in this manner?"

"No! I don't! You're not yourself, Sam!" Suddenly a thought hit him squarely, especially when she continued in her odd way of speaking. If this was Sam she would react to his next words! "Sam, you're acting like a friggin' dweeb!"

'_Yes! Friggin' dweeb! FRIGGIN' DWEEB!!"_ he heard Sam call. But the person in front of him wasn't talking. Then he remembered all the times he heard Sam calling all at once ….

"_She's coming! Jiva's coming…you __**know**__ he would be here!... NOOOOO!...FRIGGIN' DWEEB!"_

And that's when it clicked.

He heard her with his mind!!

Danny immediately willed out his wulf claws, and hissed at the Sam-look-alike, "Where's Sam?!"

Sam's body instantly shrieked hysterically in laughter and Danny's eyes widened in shock as she morphed right in front of him. The ends of her black hair were now alive with red fire. Her eyes were blood red. Powerful ruby red claws jutted out of her fingertips. Razor sharp fangs smiled threateningly through her scarlet lips. And around her neck hung the fiery amulet, blazing with terrible power.

"I am here!" Jiva said through Sam's body. But at the same time, Sam screamed into Danny's mind,_ "I'M HERE! _

His nightmare had come true.


	57. Chapter 57 Desperation

**A/N: Well, this roller coaster is out of control, isn't it? But it's still SO MUCH FUN!! So here is the summary so far: Danny has just discovered that Sam isn't Sam—all because he has been able to hear Sam mentally-- but he's sure, but not absolutely sure, why Sam isn't Sam--yet. But we do: Jiva has taken over Sam's body…but not as completely as Jiva had hoped…And as far as we know, Johnny 13 is still incapacitated, and lies near the gravely injured Tucker. And where is everyone else? Bhuto? He's outside Jiva's chambers waiting for her next command…Spectro? Getting ready for his own mysterious plans. Sombre? He's still in prison but the keys weren't discovered and he now has them. Phasma? He's still cowering in the Room of Authority. The cast of Spectre?? Well, let's find out more, shall we? And….IDNOAC, and now, here's Chapter 57. It's a little intense again, but only briefly. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 57—Desperation

Jiva screamed at Sam's audacity again and dealt her a brutal mental blow. Satisfied that she had stifled the flesh-girl for the moment, Jiva turned to Danny. And she smiled in satisfaction when she could see the anguish in his face.

Danny didn't know what to do. His mind shook with the sudden realization. He now **knew** that both Jiva and Sam were in Sam's body. But if he attacked Jiva, he would also hurt Sam. And he didn't want to do that. Still, he kept his claws ready just in case.

He jolted his head back as she excitedly said, "Yes, I feel your doubt! And it is all true. I have your Sam now! If you harm me, you harm that creature you have strong feelings for. I am now one with her and you cannot—and I will not--free her from me! But even if you somehow managed to get me out by force, I will still exist, but you will kill her body. You will destroy your Sam!"

"I don't believe you!" Danny spat back, but underneath he did believe her.

"That is your choice," she at first replied, while at the same time trying to probe his mind again. She knew that his anxiety and doubt had opened his mind to her.

He tried to resist the pressure when he felt it, but it was too late.

"But I can see that your words hide your true feelings and you do believe me! Then, my dearest, it is obvious that now your only choice is to accept your Queen!" She said with a confident laugh. She knew Danny would not harm his flesh-creature's body.

"In fact," she continued, unconsciously licking her lips in satisfaction. "I have now made it easier for you to do that, and, really, easier for the both of us! It is all so simple now! I am part shadow and part flesh, such as yourself." She unconsciously touched one of Sam's arms with the other one and squeezed it a little. She then touched the face. She liked all of their softness. But she startled a little at the sudden memory. When she touched the Phantom a few moments ago, when she kissed him, he felt different. It was not repulsive then, but now she was not so sure. She preferred the feel of this flesh-shell over the touch of a ghost.

Danny didn't like what she was doing to Sam's body, but said nothing. He was still trying to think of anything that might help Sam and him.

Then Jiva jolted a little more at another memory when she looked at him again. She recalled what he said to her when she had demanded that he prove that he was also flesh-blood:

"_No! I am still part human. Still part flesh-creature. I am not full spirit! We could never be, then, don't you see? I will never become a Spectre like Varjo or Ombre. They were flesh-shadows, full flesh spirits. But I am not just a flesh-shadow. I still breathe in the Real World, where the flesh-creatures live!"_

"_What?" she shrieked, pulling back from him. "Then prove it!" she commanded._

_He blurted out, "You must release me! I cannot prove it while I still have these chains on me!"_

…………………_._

She knew that he was not able to change because her powers within the chains must have prevented it. But now, he could. And she had yet to see his flesh-shell side! And, suddenly, Jiva could not understand why she felt something burning within her, something she now recognized as intense jealousy once more. She had not yet seen him as both flesh-blood and as shadow-of-the-flesh, but the **Sam**-creature **had**! And Jiva could somehow sense that Sam had never been repulsed by either his shadow or flesh-blood side. But she did not feel the same as Sam. She was repulsed by his shadow side within this flesh-shell. She **had** to know why.

She tried to give him a small smile, one that he might find receptive. She grinned when she thought she had been successful, and cooed, "And now, dearest, now is the time to prove yourself loyal to your Queen. I demand that you show me your flesh-shell side!"

It was Danny's turn to jolt. He could tell she was _not_ kidding! But then, he clung to the next wild thought. Maybe there was a way to get Jiva to release Sam! But he knew it was a very risky idea. But it was a risk he knew he—and Sam—would take.

Making certain that she would not misunderstand, he firmly replied, "You should now realize that you have hurt my feelings when you attacked my flesh-creature. You want me to obey you, but you do not think of my feelings. You must realize how important this is now. So, you can understand that I will not show you my flesh-shell side, unless you let my flesh-creature go. You have us within your power now, and unless you free Sam, I refuse!"

He had hoped that Jiva would be tricked, or at least confused enough for him to think of something else. But he had not expected what she did next.

Jiva screeched, and especially hearing her through Sam's voice, it pained Danny even more, "You dare defy me when you have admitted defeat? And you _refuse_? I refuse as well! I refuse to give up this flesh-shell! It pleases me!"

She couldn't understand why this flesh-shell was breathing so rapidly now. She knew she was angry, but did not think it would affect this flesh-blood so much. Her confusion over that actually calmed her. She liked this new feeling! She wanted to keep it. And she wanted to keep the Phantom in spite of it all! Though she was infuriated with his defiance, she could not help but be even more attracted to him. His strength enticed her and his staunch will mesmerized her. And with his powers, combined with her own, she would be invincible. He was perfect! But she now knew the way to get him to submit.

She took a deep breath in and controlled her breathing. She smiled wickedly, but kept her voice steady as she said, "And you are still worthy in my flesh-blood eyes! I find your insolence exciting! But you will be molded, perfected in the end. And I see now the way for you to understand me!"

Danny felt a sudden sharp pain jolt through in his mind as Jiva aggressively tore into it. He knew she was there, but he was confused at first as to why she wasn't mentally saying anything to him. It didn't take long for him to realize why. The intensely piercing cry of pain that shook both his mind and heart in the next instant unmistakably belonged to Sam!

"Sam!" he instinctively yelled, his heart beginning to race.

Jiva laughed both mentally and audibly, before throwing her thoughts at him, _"You see, if you do not obey me, I will gladly destroy your Sam!" _

Danny heard another painful scream right after Jiva said that. She might as well thrust one of her talons straight into his heart. _"Please,"_ he began, concentrating to make sure she would hear him in her mind, _"You don't have to do this!" _

Jiva smiled, knowing that this was the way after all. But she did not want to listen to him just now. She was enjoying what she was doing too much. A memory suddenly surfaced, and Jiva smiled again. She had promised herself that she would get even with the flesh-girl, and now was the time to do that. And she would have the Phantom relent because of it as well. It was very pleasing to her indeed.

Danny could hear the suffering of his girl again and he could feel every muscle in his body tense. He didn't know what to do. But then, an idea pressed upon him. It might help.

Before he could act upon it, however, Jiva mind also felt his thoughts; and angrily, yet silently, hissed to him, "_If you dare try to overshadow this flesh-shell, I will kill her right now!"_

Danny was now desperate. He knew she wasn't bluffing in the least_. _Still, he had to do something, anything. He telepathically called to Jiva,_ "Why are you doing this? You must know something about Sam, something that…."_

But she forcefully interrupted his thoughts and he could feel her mental sting, _"She means nothing to me, do you not see this? Do you not __**feel **__it? But since she means something to __**you**__, you will yield to me or else….."_

This time Danny's eyes widened as his mind was flooded by the mental scene penetrating his mind. He couldn't understand why it was so, but he knew what he was seeing was in a sense the truth. He could see a hand that should not be there grasping Sam by the hair while a Spectre claw was at her throat. And he could see cuts and bruises littering his girlfriend's mental body and he felt as if someone had squeezed his heart to a stop. _"Please,"_ he begged the Spectre princess he knew was homing in on all of his thoughts. _"Let her go!"_

"_I will hear submission from your entire being before I do,"_ Jiva challenged, tightening the mental grip on Sam.

And he knew he had to. He had no choice but to submit. He didn't want to see his girlfriend in this much danger any more. But then, he clearly heard his name. _"Danny!"_ it said, but the voice was pained and weak. But he knew it was _Sam's voice._

"_Sam?" _he quickly asked, trying to reach further into her and, inadvertently, Jiva's mind. Though Jiva opened his mind to see her tormenting his girl, Jiva was not aware that Sam had done this. She was paying too much attention to Danny.

And what he unmistakably heard Sam say riveted through his entire being, _"Don't give in! You can't let her win!"_

"_But she's hurting you and may even …kill you! Sam, I can't let that happen!" _

"_What is this?_" Jiva thundered, shocked that they had 'sneaked' in this private conversation without her knowledge. _"Oh, how quaint! But a waste of our time. Still, a very intriguing—and irritating—development. So, then, what kind of creature are you? You are most interesting, and I will learn more of you."_

Danny knew Jiva was talking to Sam. But then a moment later, Danny was aware that the pressure in his mind was gone. Jiva had severed their telepathic ties! He began to panic. What was she going to do to Sam now? He concentrated and suddenly, he could hear something! And he cringed as the sound resounded through every nerve in his body…..

Sam's tortured mental voice screamed again and Danny could hear Jiva's mental laugh. It was wicked and twisted and Danny shuddered at the sound of it. And then he heard Jiva speak in his mind again. But she was not speaking to him. She was speaking to _Sam_.

"_Oh, now I can feel the deepness of this feeling he has for you, flesh-girl! I do not understand it, but I feel it. But both of you are foolish to have it! Especially Danny. __**My**__ Danny, that is! He is ready to yield because of this silly feeling which weakens him so!"_

Danny swallowed hard when he heard his girlfriend say through painful gasps, _"He will..__**not**__…yield! He…is…__**not**__ weak! He…sees you as the evil creature that you are and will not let you get away with anything!" _

A moment after Sam said this, she shrieked in agony again as Jiva's terrible power assaulted her again. But Sam would not give up and added, _"He will never use his powers for evil. __**Never!**__ And you should know that as I know it now! What I did during Undergrowth's attack was not right! __**I**__ was wrong! Wrong for ever thinking of having him by my side using his powers to hurt or control others! Foolish of you to show me that, Jiva!"_

"_How dare you!"_ Jiva mentally spat just before thrusting more of her painful blows onto Sam. She screamed and Danny could hear his Sam's painful, sobbing gasps.

He couldn't take much more of this at all. He was about to say something, when he heard Sam rebound once more, _"But now that you have shown me what I could have become, I reject it all! I will never again allow someone to control me. You said I am strong! I __**am**__ strong! And with every ounce of it, I will not let you make Danny use his powers for evil like I wanted when I helped Undergrowth!"_

Danny mentally gasped when he heard that. How did Sam remember about that? But then he knew! Jiva had revealed it to her! And his girlfriend knew how she had been and was determined to fight against Jiva and help him in spite of it! He felt a strange kind of emotion burn inside for Sam. And now, he was even more anxious for her…

But he jolted when he heard Jiva laugh again instead of attack Sam. _"You are quite a unique flesh-creature, girl! You are more worthy than I thought! You will help me more than you know! All your strength and everything else worthy of you will be mine! I will totally absorb everything about you. __**We**__ will be Sam, and Danny will want us even more!" _

"_NOO!" _Danny finally firmly threw his thoughts at Jiva, no longer willing to remain silent. _"Leave her alone! I will not let you do anything to harm her! I will find some way or someone to help me get you out of her!" _He then suddenly thought about Spectro, and tried to throw the thought out, but it was too late.

This time, Sam's body growled and Jiva severed all her mental connections with Danny and Sam. She audibly hissed to Danny, "You cannot do anything about my keeping this flesh-shell. You will see it soon enough and be at my side. And no one can help you as well. Especially not Spectro! In fact, I need to thank you, dearest, for bringing him to my mind once more. It is time I no longer have him as an obstacle!"

Danny stood helplessly by as Jiva turned away and called to Bhuto as she did. She could feel the turmoil inside of the Phantom: his worry over his Sam, his regret to endanger her and now Spectro. It was very, very delicious!

Bhuto, who had been waiting outside, immediately flew in and gasped at the sight before him. The flesh girl's body was completely metamorphosed and her claws were out and ready. The-Phantom-of-the-flesh, too, had his own claws extended, and his attack stance made it clear that he meant business. He was stunned until he heard Jiva through Sam's voice again.

"Bhuto! I need you to bring Spectro here!"

"H-highness?" Bhuto stuttered, totally bewildered by her request.

"He is the only thing in my way now! It is time I finish with him!"

Bhuto didn't move. He was still confused, and found himself uttering, "But why, Highness? Surely, no Spectre can withstand you now with your mighty power. Spectro will be no threat."

Jiva looked back at him and Sam's eyes glared with red fire, "You dare to speak back to me? I said go!" She shot a large red-and-black ray at the unsuspecting Spectre and he was thrust violently against the wall nearby.

Bhuto lay stunned for a few moments. But he soon recovered and scampered out of the room in fear. He had to obey her, but now he was not pleased to do so.

Danny cringed at the scene. Seeing Sam's body shooting the red-and-black beam shot a chill of dread through his spine. He knew he could not withstand a blow from that and could not defend himself without his Blazers. But still, he needed to steel himself, just in case she should hear his thoughts.

But he was too late. She had probed his mind shortly after she had attacked Bhuto. And she laughed as she said, "Yes! You still don't know what to do! And I have you now. You are defenseless against me, dearest. So, it is time for you to obey me as well. Do as I command and I will not harm your flesh-creature."

But suddenly, Sam's body stumbled slightly and it raised its hand to its head, cradling its dizziness.

Then Danny heard Sam's voice in his head, "_Don't listen to her, Danny! You have to stop her!"_

But before he could answer back, he heard a painful cry in his mind as Jiva crushed Sam to silence once more.

"Sam! NO!" he cried both mentally and audibly. He retracted his claws. "All right! Leave her alone! I will do as you say," he said, as he desperately tried to reach into his and Sam's minds for any sign of his girl. He heaved a sigh in defeat when he failed.

Jiva smiled and relaxed her mind a little, but then felt immediately dizzy again. Sam had rebounded.

And just when this happened, Danny was aware of another being_. "No, do not give up, boy!"_ he suddenly heard in his mind. But this was not Sam's or Jiva's voice. It was a _male_ voice.

"_Who are __**you**__?" _Danny asked mentally. But he hesitated. He didn't want Jiva to discover this development.

"_Quickly! Concentrate on the rings to block her __**now**__!"_ the male voice commanded.

This time, Danny didn't hesitate. He focused and then both of the rings still hidden in his fists glowed.

But then the amulet trembled and Jiva gasped.

Danny saw Sam's body's reaction but didn't lose his concentration. He desperately and hurriedly whispered in his mind, _"Who are you? Can you help us? And how can you be speaking to me? And why can't she hear us?" _

The voice spoke assuredly, patiently answering all of his questions, _"I am Libro! I have my own powers, Danny, powers she could not possibly fathom. And our Sam is doing her part to keep Jiva's mind preoccupied, so that gives us more time and opportunity as well! Jiva accidentally gave me a few of her own powers each time she touched me. And one of them now gives me the power to read minds. I know you are in fear, but do not be! Right now, I cannot help you, but the rings can! They are from the heart of the amulet. But you need all three of them to defeat her." _

Danny jolted a little at the news but stayed focused. _"But Johnny 13 has the third ring and he's not even here!"_ he silently told Libro. The boy didn't know, of course, that Johnny 13 was just regaining consciousness in another part of the castle.

"_But you can hold out until help comes. Channel your own strength that you have through the two rings and perhaps that may be enough. And if you can free me, I can help, too," _Libro assured him.

"_All right. I will try! But be ready. I don't know when I can get to you!"_ he told his friend's mind.

"_I understand. But I know you can do it, Danny!"_ he said, and his tone affirmed his deep confidence in the boy.

That was all Danny needed. He severed his mental channel with Libro and purposely cleared his throat.

Jiva noticed.

* * *

And Libro was right about Sam. She had been busy trying to keep Jiva off-balanced, which along with the power of the rings, gave Libro and Danny a chance to communicate, even if for a short time….

"_You can't do this to him!"_ Sam forcefully yelled at Jiva. _"You have no right!" _

Jiva mentally laughed, "_He can resist if he wants; his efforts will be fruitless. But I __**know,**__ in the end, he will not resist me! And it's all because of those very strong feelings he has for you! This is too delicious! I have him now! These strong feelings are the key! What do you flesh-creatures call it?" _She searched Sam's mind. Sam winced at the pain, trying to keep her from doing that. But she could not. _"Uh, yes, 'love'. He loves you deeply! And I will learn that as well!" _

"_You never will!" _Sam spat back. _"You will never understand anything. You will never know the meaning!" _Sam stopped herself with the sudden next thought that riveted through her…This was the way. She would 'teach' Jiva all about 'love'.

"_What is wrong, flesh-girl? Are you afraid that I will learn to love him after all?"_

Sam quietly said, _"No, it's just that you couldn't possibly understand how to do it the right way."_

"_How dare you!" _Jiva hissed, and Sam felt the unseen force clamp around her mental throat again_. "I have the power and I have the power to make me understand how to do this 'love' you speak of 'the right way'!"_

"_But how could you?... Isn't this the first time… you have ever felt...pure and powerful emotions? Not that you couldn't before… of course…. they just weren't as strong," _Sam managed to say through her gasps_. _

"_What of it? They are not hard to learn!" _Jiva hissed, even though, now that she thought about it, the girl was right. Her mental clamp around Sam lessened. Suddenly, Jiva was aware of the amulet's shuddering and Sam's body gasped. She did not know that the amulet shuddered when Danny activated the rings.

Sam felt Jiva's hesitation and her loss in concentration. She knew this was her chance. She spoke more loudly and mimicked Jiva's manner of speech, to make sure she had the princess' undivided attention, _"Yes, you can learn the 'easy' feelings. But love? Even the deftest in the subject can never truly tame it. But with your power—and the proper instruction-- you will conquer it… But I will __**not**__ teach you! You __**cannot**__ make me!"_

Sam suddenly felt she would pass out at any moment; the ire behind Jiva's mental clutches was so strong. _"Yes, yes, you are right! I do not know this emotion. And I want it! But you are as foolish as I thought. I will force you! You cannot resist!"_

But Sam was still able to muster her own strength, and managed to say in spite of her rigid—yet mental—breathing, _"No, please!... I beg you!... It's alright. You don't have… to force me. I realize now that you were right. I do want the power as I had before, in the memory you had revealed to me. I thank you for that and I know when I'm beaten! I will teach you."_

Sam's body smiled and her dizziness began to lessen. _"I am glad you see my way now. That will make things easier for you. And now we both can have him!" _

Just then, Danny cleared his throat and Jiva looked at him.

And neither was aware that the same set of hidden eyes had returned with the sense that something terrible was happening, spying as before, observing everything…

* * *

Johnny 13 slowly aroused. He felt dizzy and confused. "Where am I? And why am I in this strange place?"

He slowly floated upward, scanning the dark room, and he couldn't fight the fear creeping up his ghost spine.

Then his head jolted when he saw something in the shadows. It was red with a dark form attached to it that was not too far from him. He was afraid to approach it.

But then it groaned. He knew then that it was Tucker! He floated off-balance toward the still boy and when he came upon him, he could see that Tucker was barely conscious and shivering in a cold sweat. His skin now had a slightly grayish, dusky hue to it. He knelt beside the human and he quickly began to panic when he inspected the boy's wound. He blurted out, "Tucker! Dude, you're hurt! Bad!" He shivered with dread and that very strong reaction made his ring glow. The bike ghost's head began to clear, but he still moaned, "I don't know what to do!"

Tucker also knew he was badly hurt, but he needed the ghost to keep focused in order to get help. The boy managed to utter between gasps, "Johnny!...Listen…I'll be….OK…as long as…you get me…to Libro...Libro…will know….what to do!"

"But I don't know where he is, dude! And the Spectre are still all around us!" Johnny 13 panted with alarm.

But Tucker didn't answer him. He had slipped back out of consciousness.

Johnny 13 paced all around, trying not to be paralyzed by full-blown panic.

But suddenly, something helped him to focus.

The door nearest to where he and Tucker were was opening.

* * *

Bhuto's mind was in turmoil as he searched for Spectro. Even though he did not like the commander-in-chief, he trusted him more at this point than he trusted Jiva.

But he pushed his doubts and discontent away. Maybe this time, Jiva would see his worth above all the Spectre and the Phantom-of-the-flesh.

He hurried to rendezvous with his soldier band. When he met up with them, he told them of their mission. They were shocked by the Princess' command, but they were loyal to Bhuto.

And together, they began to search for Spectro.

* * *

Sombre opened the cell again. He crept out. And as he did, he realized something. He wondered why he hadn't thought of it earlier. Where was the Phantom? He hadn't returned yet! It had been too long since he had heard from him. But he instantly tried to give the benefit of a doubt to the young hybrid. Perhaps he, too, had been captured. Or, perhaps he had stumbled upon where his father, Ombre, was and would be heading back, arriving at any moment. But the shadow ghost could not wait. He was still driven to act; he had his part to play. He had to defeat Phasma and see to the Omen of the Prophesy.

He shut the door again, but kept the keys with him this time. He knew he would need them for the door at the entrance of the dungeon. He secured the keys within him, making sure that they did not rattle with his movement. But then another idea hit him.

He flew onward, darting quickly from shadow to shadow, carefully inching to the entrance of the dungeon. But as he went, he opened all of the prison cells, harshly warning any Spectre he found within them to follow him in silence.

When he finally reached the locked door that led outward to the guardhouse, Sombre peeked out of the small barred window nestled in the door. He notice only two guards were in the room. He could not know that the others had been summoned to search for the flesh-creatures and that these two had been left to guard the prisoners. But he didn't care why there were only two guards. He was just glad there were only two.

He tried the door and was not surprised that it was locked. He motioned for the others to stay in the shadows and quickly whispered his plan to them. They all nodded and melded into the darkness.

Sombre place the first key into the lock. It did not fit. Finally, after the fourth try, he found a key that easily slid into the lock.

Then, while waiting for a chance to act, he listened into the conversation the two guards were having while they played an odd board game with large, heavy playing pieces. They obviously had been here quite awhile, and had been driven to boredom after they were stuck guarding the prisoners....

"Why do we have to be here, Schatten!?" the first shadow guard said, slamming one of his pieces onto a spot. The force of the impact left a slight dent in the solid stone board. Irritated, he flicked the piece that had chipped off away, just as he added, "The excitement is out there, not here!"

"What are you saying, Hantu? You would dare disobey the orders from the Prophesy himself?" the second guard said, calmly counter-moving his piece to a strategic mark.

Hantu snorted his reply, sliding his piece so aggressively that it inadvertently knocked over one of his opponent's pieces, "Of course not, you fool! But we did not have to be the ones who had to stay behind! There are others of lesser ranks that would have done just as good as job as we!"

The other shadow ghost frowned in irritation as he righted his playing piece back up. "It does not matter, and you know it, Hantu! We need only do as we are commanded."

"But when was the last time in our history that invaders have entered our castle?" the more angry of the two shadow ghosts retorted as his piece finally forced one of his opponent's out of the game.

Sombre perked up when he heard that. What was the meaning of **that**? He listened in more intently, hoping to learn more….

Schatten countered with his own move and his piece also forced his opponent to yield. He then replied, "I do not have such a memory as that. But that is not our concern. We need to guard the prisoners."

His companion grunted as he saw that the game was coming to a draw. He uttered through gritted teeth, "I would rather be on the search than be here!"

"But we cannot! Still, you think we will find the flesh-creatures soon, Hantu?" the first shadow guard asked, sliding one of his pieces to a spot.

"Hmph! You doubt the Spectre, Schatten? The flesh-creatures are no match for us!"

Sombre startled a little. Flesh-creatures? Here? Then his next thought jumped out at him: _The friends of Phantom! They must be here! Could Johnny 13 be with them, too?_ But his thoughts were interrupted by the continuing conversation.

"Of course not, Hantu! I just do not like all this tension in the castle." He casually moved a piece on the playing board.

"But at least, it is _exciting_ tension! And such talk is circulating in the castle! The way everyone had been before the flesh-creatures attacked us, you would think that the Spectre had no knowledge of any language at all. We have been so stifled, we would not have had even one thought about which to talk."

Schatten replied, "Yes, that upon which I can agree. And there is even more talk! I have heard talk that Bhuto has bragged about capturing that powerful shadow-of-the-flesh—I think Bhuto called him 'Phantom-of-the-flesh'—you know, the one that attacked us in the dungeon. And that he has gained possession of a strange book! The Princess wanted them both and Bhuto got them for her."

'You are making up stories again, Schatten!" Hantu objected.

"No! It is true. Just as we speak, they are in the private chambers of the Princess—the larger one on the westernmost side of the castle!" Schatten insisted.

That was all Sombre needed to hear. There could be only one room that would be large enough there. He turned the key as slowly as he could and just as the lock slid open, one of the Spectre guards knocked over one of the heavy pieces by mistake and it fell to the floor with a loud thud. The noise it made masked the sound of the clicking lock. Sombre drew the key out and placed the set within himself again. He signaled the other prisoners and hoped he could pull off the next part of his plan.

"You did that on purpose! You are cheating!" Hantu accused the other.

"No! I did not, and…" Schatten began to object, but before he could make his defense, they heard a cry coming from the dungeon.

It was Sombre, yelling to them in a commanding voice, but making sure he yelled toward the deeper part of the dungeon so as to make the guards think he was far in the dungeon instead of at the door, "HANTU! SCHATTEN! COME HERE! I HAVE NEED OF YOU!"

"Who is that?" Schatten asked after both of the guards looked toward the dungeon's entrance.

"You are the roster master today, fool!" Hantu spat back. "Obviously, you have been cheating with **that **as well. Let us go!"

Hantu grabbed the second set of keys and they both headed to what they both thought was a locked door.

But just as Hantu placed the key into the lock, Sombre pushed outward with all his might, shoving the door into the two unsuspecting guards and ramming them forcefully into the wall behind the door.

The rest of the prisoners spilled out of the dungeon, just as Sombre grabbed the two stunned guards, threw them down the entrance hallway of the dungeon, and slammed the door shut. He immediately locked it, securing the two guards behind it.

Sombre then yanked the other set of keys out of the lock on this side of the dungeon door. But he did not want to carry any of the keys with him. He quickly left the guardroom, and searched throughout the soon vacant hallway as he fled the area. He finally spied a dark crack in one of the walls that would serve his purpose. He shoved both sets of keys within it, and headed toward the Room of Authority once more.

But he had gone only a little way towards his designation when he heard a large group of Spectre soldiers behind him. He darted quickly into the shadows and waited.

He couldn't possibly know that it was Bhuto and his little band that were approaching.


	58. Chapter 58 CounterTreachery

**A/N: OHMIGOSH!!! THIS STORY HAS JUST HIT THE 300****TH**** REVIEW! I THINK I MIGHT SWOON!!! QUICK, ANYONE HAVE SOME FANS??!!! OR MAYBE A BROWN PAPER BAG?? PUTTING THAT OVER MY HEAD WILL BE BETTER FOR MY HYPERVENTILATION, DON'T YA THINK? Please give me a minute….**

**There….I ….think….I'm….better now! Whew! *tosses brown paper bag away* THANK you to all your wonderful readers!!**

**A/N: Well, A LOT happened in Chapter 57, hasn't it? Danny has reluctantly agreed to obey Jiva for fear of hurting Sam, in whose body Jiva is still. Sam has tricked Jiva into thinking that Sam will help her get Danny to obey her willingly. Bhuto is growing more in discontent with how Jiva is treating him, but he still obeys her and goes to find Spectro at her command. Johnny 13 has recovered and discovered how injured Tucker is, but not knowing what to do, he panics, just as someone is about to barge into the room they are in, again. And Sombre has escaped the dungeon again only to run into Bhuto and his soldier band. Now, are you all revved up for another personal fav chappie of mine, that is, Chapter 58? Good, 'cause IDNOAC, and here it is! And I dedicate this chappie to my 300****th**** reviewer: Pearl84!!! THANK YOU so much!! Now, Enjoy!!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 58—Counter-Treachery

Meanwhile, Phasma had slightly recovered from his stupor. His thoughts consumed him….How could Spectro betray him after all these years he had trusted him, even treated him like a son? NO, he would not have it! No matter how much Spectro's treachery tore at his being, Phasma would not be defeated. He would have the traitor executed to the oblivion. But how? The Elders were opposed to that…Then the Prophesy smiled. Spectro thought himself clever. He had set his own trap and sealed his fate. Phasma would expose him as the traitor he was at the very council the younger Spectre had summoned—the P'numbra Parley! The hour was drawing near and once Phasma proved Spectro's guilt, the sentence for that was extinction to the oblivion!

He knew what he must do. He hurried out of the Room of Authority and called to the first Spectre soldiers that he saw.

"Guards!" he shrieked.

They immediately drew nearer to their Prophesy and bowed very low to him.

He continued, "Summon a large troop of Spectre! We search to find Spectro! I want him found and secured _**in chains**_!"

"My lord?" one of the soldiers blurted out, totally taken off-guard. He was sure he did not hear his Prophesy right. Spectro was held in the highest esteem by most of the Spectre army.

"You heard me!" Phasma spat. "He is a traitor to the Spectre and must be brought to the P'numbra Parley for justice!"

The soldiers trembled in fear and confusion. They did not understand what this could mean. But they also didn't know that Phasma no longer had possession of the amulet and were afraid to question him any further.

"As you command!" they all cried.

But before they turned to go, Phasma pointed to one of them and demanded, "What is your name?"

"Manes, Highness!" he said with a low bow.

"Good! You are my new High General, Manes!"

"As you command, my lord!" Manes said, and quickly took charge of the troop.

And Phasma and his soldiers set out.

* * *

Bhuto and his band continued to comb the castle, searching in earnest for Spectro. Now was payback time for Bhuto for all the times his high commander charged him with unimportant assignments and delegated him to unworthy ranks. It never once occurred to him that Spectro had seen him for what kind of Spectre he was: treacherous, conniving, brash, recklessly ambitious and motivated by selfish gains. He was unhesitating in his own goals, even to the point of jeopardizing the safety of the Spectre or its army.

Bhuto's little band continued onwards and just as they passed the entrance of the central quarters of the soldiers, the same one that guarded the dungeon, he saw Spectro in the distance.

Spectro, however, had not seen them, as he was preoccupied with speaking to one of the servants.

Bhuto quickly and silently motioned for his soldiers toward the nearby rooms. They obeyed him, not drawing any attention to themselves, but still very obvious to the watchful eyes of the hidden Sombre who had already been there before them and was now nearby.

Their leader melted into the nearby shadows and waited. He chuckled at his plan. The Princess never said **how** Spectro was to be presented to her, only that he was to be brought to her. Bhuto knew he had more than enough of the power Jiva had given him stored in his amulet to subdue Spectro. In fact, he had more than enough red-and-black Spectre energy to hurt his commander—permanently. And this was what he wanted to do; and it would be as easy as trapping the Phantom had been.

But Bhuto did not know that another set of eyes—Sombre's—was studying the same scene ever since Bhuto and his troop had arrived. Sombre had heard them draw near shortly after he had left the guardroom and had hid from **them. **

Sombre thought it odd that the strange Spectre hiding not too far from him—who was Bhuto-- had ordered his soldiers to another room while he slipped into the shadows. Sombre searched for the reason why. He saw that Bhuto was glancing in anticipation toward something further down the hallway, and turned in the same direction, scanning the area. He had to gag his own gasp when he spied the Spectre approaching him. The Spectre Sombre was looking at was Spectro, of course. The High Commander was on his way to make the final preparations for his plans, unaware that he was nearing both Sombre and Bhuto as he continued forward.

Sombre anxiously skirted his eyes between Bhuto and the other Spectre, studying the reactions of the two. Bhuto was in an attack stance and looked too eager for the other to draw closer. He had murder in his eyes. Sombre was certain that the Spectre in the distance—Spectro—was flying into a trap.

Sombre waited more apprehensively than Bhuto as Spectro neared them. And just at the moment when Sombre was sure that Bhuto would strike, Sombre produced his own claws and pounced upon the assassin.

Bhuto was so shocked by this unexpected attack that he prematurely discharged his powerful red-and-black seal, which barely missed Spectro.

Spectro immediately willed his own claws as he approached the two shadow ghosts already entwined in heated combat. The High Commander could not at first see who they were as they grappled violently with each other. But then, suddenly, Sombre managed to land a huge punch on his foe, sending that shadow ghost forcefully into the wall. Sombre immediately leapt at him again and pressed him more firmly into the wall with his whole form while ferociously bringing his large talons to Bhuto's throat.

Spectro looked on in surprise to see that it was Sombre who had been the victor and that Bhuto was now at his mercy.

Suddenly, Bhuto's band oozed out of the room after finally hearing the commotion and surrounded Sombre with their own hostile blades. But in spite of this fact, Sombre did not ease the pressure of his claws on his foe's throat. Instead, he pressed even further into Bhuto.

"Stop!" Spectro's commanding voice echoed.

All the Spectre there, except Sombre and Bhuto, froze at his command.

"Stand down!" Spectro said even more forcefully.

The soldiers slowly pulled away from Sombre and Bhuto. But they did not withdraw. Instead, they brandished their claws and turned threateningly toward the High Commander.

Spectro went right up to them, unafraid, and firmly said, "If you know what is best for you, you will return to your original posts and cause no more evil among the Spectre! The time is now for the Spectre to become the once noble race it had been of before."

Bhuto's small band stood still, unsure of what to do.

Spectro then turned to Bhuto who was still pinned against the wall with Sombre still at his throat. "And that would also mean you, Bhuto!"

Sombre gasped at the High Commander's words, as he understood Spectro was addressing the one who would have killed him save for Sombre's intervention.

All the soldiers hesitated at first, searching each other's reactions. But then, one-by-one, they retracted their claws, extended a low, respectful bow to Spectro, and left.

Now only Spectro, Sombre and Bhuto were left in the dark hall. Sombre had yet to relinquish his hold on Bhuto.

Suddenly, Spectro placed his hand on Sombre's shoulder and gently said, "It is all right, Sombre. You may let him go!"

"But he had thoughts of murder in his failed attack on you!" Sombre objected.

"Yes, I know! And do not think that I do not appreciate what you did. But let him go. I do not want any more Spectre harmed!" Spectro said, and his words were gentle but persuasive.

Sombre glared hatefully at Bhuto for a moment, but then for some unknown reason, Sombre felt compelled to obey Spectro. He released Bhuto.

Bhuto looked at both of them in total bewilderment. He did not understand the meaning of this.

"Remember, if you know what is best for you, you will return to your original post!" Spectro commanded again.

Bhuto gave him a low bow and scurried off. But after a few minutes, Bhuto halted, still trying to figure out what had just happened. But he quickly threw those thoughts away. He wondered what he should do next...Then he knew what was best for him. He hurried back to Jiva's chambers.

Sombre watched Bhuto until he was out of sight. Then, when he knew they were alone, he turned back to the High Commander and cried, "Spirto!"

And the united brothers wept in joy as they embraced.


	59. Chapter 59 Intense Struggle

**A/N: Well, were any of you surprised that Spectro was really Spirto? I was!! JUST KIDDING! (But I did give you LOTS of hints, ya know! Muh-heh-heh!) Anyhow, this is the story so far: Danny has reluctantly agreed to obey Jiva for fear of hurting Sam, whose body Jiva is still in. Sam has tricked Jiva into thinking that Sam will help her get Danny to obey her willingly. And who or what has been observing everything that has been happening in Jiva's chambers, but does nothing? Johnny 13 has recovered and discovered how injured Tucker is, but not knowing what to do, he panics, just as someone is about to barge into the room they are in, again. And Sombre has thwarted Bhuto's attempt to kill Spectro and that was because just before Bhuto's attack, Sombre recognized Spectro as his long-thought-dead brother, Spirto. **

**Now, again, to keep this simple for now (as if!) I will continue to call Spirto, "Spectro". Got that? Now, here's Chapter 59 coming at ya with IDNOAC! Enjoy!!!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 59—Intense Struggle

Several moments later, Spectro pulled away from his brother and said, "We both know that there is much to speak about, but there is no time! I am about to signal my army. I have prepared for too long and the time is now! I believe that victory will be swift and absolute with the hope that no Spectre will come to harm. But I will do as I must to rid the Spectre of Phasma and his foul daughter, and bring them to justice!"

Sombre nodded, and Spectro continued, "But we must make haste. I have not heard yet whether the flesh-creatures have been found. I will not stand for such hapless creatures to be sacrificed in our sad affair."

Sombre looked in awe at his younger brother. This was not the same reckless, passionate youth that Sombre thought he had lost those many years ago. His eyebrows creased with concern as he replied, "So, they **are** here? I think I know whom you seek. They are the friends of the Phantom, a flesh-shadow who…"

"Forgive my interruption, brother, but yes, you are right and I know the Phantom. We must find them quickly, then, so that all that I have planned may commence!"

The two brothers hurried down the hall, searching each room along the way. Finally, they opened the door of the last room in this part of the castle. They knew if nothing was revealed to them, they would have to backtrack with even more speed.

They slowly opened the door. They stepped in and were met by a bright green ring on a hand that, though trembling, was posed ready to strike.

"Johnny!" Sombre cried, immediately grabbing his friend in a tremendous hug.

The biker ghost collapsed into his friend in relief as Spectro looked on. Finally, Johnny was able to say, "Sombre, we have to find Libro! Tucker has been badly hurt!" He finally noticed the other Spectre and startled.

Sombre saw his reaction and said, "Do not worry, this is Spirto!"

This startled Johnny even more.

Seeing his friend's reaction, Sombre quickly added, "I know this probably brings up a lot of questions, but we have no time for them now! Where is Tucker?" Sombre insisted.

Johnny immediately led them to the unconscious boy.

After inspecting his wound, Spectro said, "He is gravely injured. If you need to take him to this 'Libro', you had better do it now!"

Johnny 13 began to pick up the boy, but he stumbled. He still hadn't fully recovered from his own attack yet.

"Let me, my friend," Sombre said seriously, and he easily and gently picked up the still human. He also scooped up the boy's PDA and glasses and gave it to Johnny.

"But I don't know where Libro is!" Johnny lamented, putting his hand over his face with the distress.

"But I do!" Sombre cried. "Let us go!"

Johnny 13 and Spectro followed Sombre as he led them to Jiva's chambers. Finally, they were there and as they approached the door, they heard a commotion inside. But they all knew that they didn't have a choice. They quietly entered the chamber and darted behind a small, nearby, and curtained-off room. Sombre and Johnny were confused when they heard Sam sound so evil. But they waited until they knew why….

And although all the parties were doing different things, there was one thing that they all had in common…

All the parties were still not aware that they were under watchful eyes the whole time. The same set of green eyes that had spied upon the Princess numerous of times since the invaders had entered to the castle had again appeared, cloaking itself in the shadows…..listening…..

Jiva laughed with Sam's voice and cooed, "Danny, dearest, your flesh-creature has joined me! She wants you to be at my side as well!"

Jiva was so ecstatic about Sam's change of heart; she had easily forgotten her desire to see Danny as a human.

Danny, of course, didn't believe her and at that point he didn't care if she heard his thoughts. He had to hear it from Sam himself. _"Is this true, Sam?"_ he mentally asked her.

"_Yes, Danny. I have admitted defeat. And I want the power. All of it! And if you know how much of a __**'freakin' dweeb'**__ you are, you will also admit defeat and join us!"_ Sam answered his thoughts.

But Jiva noticed the emphasis on her strange words and interrupted the girl's thoughts, _"'Freakin' dweeb'? You said that before! What is that?" _

"_Oh, that is something humans say to those whom they love,"_ Sam casually said to Jiva's mind.

Danny secretly smiled. He knew she was using their 'code word' to tell him that she was lying; but he also knew that they were now both playing a very dangerous game.

"Oh, really? I should have to remember that!" Jiva said out loud this time. "And you must teach me more!"

"Oh, there'll be plenty of time for that!" Danny said with as much suaveness as he could muster as he drew nearer to her. He had to stall for time until he could reach Libro. "Now that I understand that Sam wants me to be at your side, there is no hurry for these things."

"Yes! We will be together and you can teach me!" Jiva said with a giggle, as she closed the gap between them. But she was speaking to herself.

Danny started to feel sick, but replied with an unconvincing smile, "Yes, I will teach you everything and we can rule the Spectre!"

Fortunately, Jiva didn't understand the nuance of his weak smile and only took it as an inviting one. She smiled back and began to inch closer toward him.

He grew nervous, but kept the same smile on his face. He had to keep this up until he could get to Libro. But how? He looked to Libro and then spied another book right next to him. An idea hit him, and he secretly thanked Tucker.

"But first...dearest…," Danny almost choked out. He was **so** not liking this. "The first lesson I need to teach you is about food. Your body needs nourishment or it will die here. And I also need food. Could you...uhm…get us something to eat and drink?"

"Where can I get that?" she asked in distress. "I have read about them, but know nothing of how to get those matters!"

Danny started to float toward that very book that was next to Libro. Being as casual as he could, he replied, "Well, I certainly don't know how you can get any food here…." He picked up the book near Libro and continued, "But perhaps this book can help you get started?"

Jiva hesitated, unsure of whether to accept the book. She had read a bit of it in the past, but it made barely any sense to her. How would it help her now? But then Sam's thoughts told her_, "This is good, Jiva! I'm sure the book can help you to find food. But more importantly, it will help you get closer to Danny! You want him to allow your influence, right? Then make him happy! One thing that pleases Danny is to see me read, because he knows it makes __**me**__ happy! You must show him you have learned to love reading as well! That way, it will make him, uhm, receptive, to your suggestions. If you do this one thing for him, then you will have him right where you want him! And he will become the Prophesy of the Spectre that you want!" _

Jiva nodded in agreement. "Yes! Yes! Let me have it!" Jiva said as she walked over to him. She grabbed the cookbook and started to quickly read it. She didn't suspect what Danny's plan was at all.

Just as she started to read it, Danny floated slowly backward with his hands behind his back. He concentrated and the same green aura formed around his hidden hands. He was so close now, so close to Libro. And just as he finally touched his friend, two things happened all at once: Libro was free and the amulet around Sam's body trembled.

Jiva looked up from the book in her hands and knew what Danny had done.

And just when Sombre, Johnny 13, Spirto and the unconscious Tucker came into the room, Jiva dropped the book that had been in her hands and screeched in anger, "You have taken me as a fool! How have you done all this? What kind of magic do you have? No matter what you have, I am stronger! And you will see that it is unwise to trick me! You will be punished severely for it!"

She immediately lunged at him with her outstretched talons and Danny responded with his own claws just before hers struck his chest. All in the room heard the echo of the force of claw upon claw. He pushed back at her angry resistance. She was strong, yes, but he was ready. The nightmare had prepared him after all!

"_Sam!"_ he mentally screamed as he fought back. He had to keep her from shooting her energy while sparing Sam's body from any harm. And he had to keep her from seeing the rings. _"Sam!"_ he yelled again at her mind. _"Keep her busy!" _

He barely avoided Jiva's swipe and then purposely tangled their claws together again. He needed to keep close. And as they continued their strange dance, Danny was surprised how quickly he was tiring. But he pushed even harder against her.

Meanwhile, Libro hovered nearby, waiting to attack. But he could not proceed. They were too close and he could not risk hurting the boy. He anxiously looked for a chance.

Suddenly, Sam's body began to quiver. But Jiva screamed with Sam's voice and pressed on against the boy.

"_Give it up!"_ Jiva heard Sam's voice say to her mind. _"You can't win! You will never be able to understand us humans!" _

"_You will be silent, __flesh-girl!"_ Jiva hissed mentally to Sam, but she could not get control because of her fight with Danny.

"_No, I won't! You are weak! Weaker than us humans because you cannot control my body!"_ Sam insisted, thrusting her thoughts violently back. She could see the light reappearing nearby again and excitedly added, _"Look how hard it is for you to fight him! You are not all-powerful!" _

Jiva screeched mentally and audibly, knocking Sam's consciousness to a mental floor. A force held Sam down and she struggled to get back up.

Suddenly, the amulet began to glow with Jiva's fury, and Danny's breathing increased along with his struggle. He concentrated, trying to counter her new-found strength. And just as sudden, the two gems still hidden within his hands began to glow, as if to answer Jiva's amulet's counterattack. The green aura returned, enveloping the boy and he felt his strength return. He pushed Sam's talons back.

But Jiva would not yield even though she saw the strange green glow surround Danny. She struggled harder and then thought how she could end this. Her Spectre energy seal!

"Fool!" Sam's voice hissed. "It does not matter what magic you possess. You cannot win! You could have had everything had you joined me. Now you will have nothing! I will defeat you and you will merely be a shell of yourself, serving me blindly."

She concentrated and Danny could feel his mind coming under assault as well. Feelings of doubt and all his insecurities focused into a powerful emotion. And suddenly, it flooded his whole mind, and for a moment he thought he would buckle from the mental blow.

But he also dug deep within himself and clung to his inner strength. And with the help of the rings, he threw Jiva out of his mind.

Sam's body gasped but she pressed back with her talons this time, and began to charge up her Spectre energy. This was it! She would be the victor. Prophesy or not, she would destroy him for his defiance! And would have it all in the end!

Danny could feel the strength of her thoughts but he did not yield, his claws still keeping her from running right through him. He could not stop now, even though he was now in danger of absorbing her powerful Spectre rays.

Suddenly, Libro, who was waiting for a chance to shoot Jiva, but could not due to her and Danny's close proximity the whole time, leapt upward and yelled mentally to her, _"He is not the Prophesy. I am, witch! I am Ombre!"_

Sam's body startled at the news and Sam's mind gasped. But Jiva immediately pulled away from Danny and shot Libro instead of Danny. Libro absorbed the blow and fell down as Danny screamed "Libro!"

And Sam mentally screamed, _"NOO!"_

Jiva laughed at feeling both Danny and Sam in such distress.

Danny pulled completely away from Sam's body and flew to Libro. He did not care what more Jiva would do at the moment. He had to get to his friend. Just as Danny scooped him up, Libro whispered assuredly to Danny's mind, _"It is all right. Do not worry and take this!" _But Danny knew that Libro had not masked his pain well when he had said this.

Danny was suddenly enveloped in a bright blue aura and just as suddenly, it disappeared. He was also not aware that the rings had also glowed at the same time as the aura appeared, and just as quickly dulled once more. Before Danny could react, Libro harshly whispered again to the boy's mind, _"Remember… the rings!_..._I will be…"_ But then Libro said no more.

Danny knew that Libro had been badly hurt by Jiva's attack. He turned back to Sam's laughing body, ignoring his angry tears, "I will not let you rule the Spectre!" he vowed through gritted teeth. But he jolted. Sam was still there and when he saw it was Sam he was looking at, he hesitated. He knew he wouldn't be able to hurt her.

His emotional turmoil allowed Jiva to creep into his mind once more. And Sam's voice laughed, _"I can feel your doubt! You are bluffing! You know if I perish, she perishes!"_

But then Jiva suddenly choked and stumbled with her dizziness.

Danny could hear Sam's desperate cry echo in his mind_. "You have to do it, Danny! You have to stop her! I know her mind. She will not stop at ruling the Spectre! She wants everything! The Ghost Zone, our world, Everything! You know how powerful the Spectre are and what they can do to other ghosts!! You have to stop her!" _

"_But I can't, Sam! I can't….I can't hurt you. I can't lose you!" _

"_But you __**must**__ stop her! She is ruthless!" _Sam countered, trying to get her boyfriend to forget about her for the moment.

Before Danny could answer her back, Sam mentally swallowed hard and added,_ "Look, there is something I didn't tell you because there was no time, but now I gotta say it! She gave the command! The command that got Tucker seriously hurt. She didn't care that she left him somewhere as hurt as he was. He may even be ….dead. Danny, you can't let her get away with what she did to our friend… to your brother!"_

"_Tucker!" _Danny exclaimed mentally, jolting from fear.

He just knew that something horrible had happened to him! And Jiva was responsible? She had hurt him? Then he remembered what Jiva in Sam's body had looked like when she 'broke' the news to him regarding Tucker…

She--_that __witch_**--**had been smiling. **She was proud of what she had done! **

Looking at Jiva, Danny felt the anger swell in him. Jiva deserved to be destroyed. But all he saw was Sam. And then he quickly realized what his real Sam was trying to do. But he rejected it and mentally sent her his objection, _"But Sam, you know that is so wrong…"_

Still, Sam insisted,_ "Danny! Listen! She can be destroyed, and you know it! She is vulnerable now that she took my body over. She has done many horrible things to Tucker and the Spectre. Danny, she won't ever stop hurting others! She'll destroy everything! Please, stop her! I don't want to be used for evil again! I just know that __**this**__ time it'll be worse. And, Danny….I rather things to be over for me than to have that happen….Stop her."_

Danny felt a surge of fear fill him at his girlfriend's plea. He didn't want to see her get used for evil either, but he couldn't do what she was indirectly asking him!_ "No! I don't like what you're saying, Sam! There has to be a better way!"_

"_N-No, Danny, you know there isn't a better way! You __**must**__ stop her!" _his girlfriend firmly replied, hoping that he couldn't detect the quiver in her mental voice.

Danny swallowed hard, but mentally answered back, _"Please, Sam, don't you see…..." _

But before they could continue, Danny could feel that Sam was dizzy and then, Jiva's thoughts forcibly interrupted them. Speaking to Danny, she jeered,_ "Nothing you say will make a difference! You have no power to match mine! And you are weak! You let your feelings for your flesh-creature weaken you! What a fool I was to think you were Prophesy! Emotions do make you weak, but I will perfect them!"_

Meanwhile, the group behind the curtain grew restless. Johnny 13 and Sombre were getting more concerned over Tucker's condition and it was not in Spectro's nature to be so passive. Though he could not see what was happening, and hardly any words were exchanged, Spectro knew talons were fighting and then a Spectre seal had been discharged. He heard a thud. And a name screamed. Apparently this "Libro" had been attacked. And now the fight seemed at an end.

He could not stand it any longer. He had to act. He stepped out of his hiding place.

Sombre had also heard the name his father had taken yelled by Danny and he knew something had happened to him.

Johnny 13 gasped when Sombre put Tucker gently down and began to follow Spectro.

But before he did, Sombre told his friend, "Attend to Tucker as much as you can."

"Wait!" Johnny harshly whispered to his friend. "Take this!" The biker ghost gave his shadow friend the ring from his finger and Sombre tried to refuse it, fearing for his friend's safety and certain harm from the environment without it. But Johnny 13 closed his friend's hand tightly around it and shoved it nearer. He smiled in reassurance at his friend. Sombre understood and continued to follow his younger brother.

And that set of green Spectre eyes which had been watching and waiting in hiding all this while had to stifle its gasp.


	60. Chapter 60 The Final Stand

**A/N: Is everything coming together for ya? The only two main players unaccounted for are Phasma and Bhuto. Phasma has sent soldiers to track down Spectro and Bhuto is heading back to Jiva's chambers. And here comes Chapter 60! YAY! My ultimate personal fav chappie. Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 60—The Final Stand

Spectro startled when he saw what was in front of him: the amulet hanging around the neck of a flesh-creature instead of Jiva. But his surprise was fleeting; and his quick mind soon realized that the Princess had seized this flesh-girl's body.

Danny also jolted when he saw the Spectre general, not a prisoner of Bhuto, but here on his own. Immediately, the teen wondered **why** he was here and **what** he was doing.

But before the boy could make any sense of it, Spectro immediately bellowed, "Jiva! It is over! The time for Spectre peace is here! Release the flesh-girl and the Parley will give you mercy!"

Sam's body screeched in a laugh that was a mixture of defiance and hatred. So, Spectro had come to her on his own! This was more than excellent! She ignored the other Spectre at the general's side. She did not feel that any Spectre threatened her at this very moment. "Ah-ha! No, Spectro, now is the time for me to rid myself of you! You have been an ominous cloud in my mind too long!"

Sombre noticed Libro on the ground nearby, but dare not move toward him. He had to help his brother.

Spectro stood squarely and countered, "And I may say the same thing to you, Jiva! But I know you! Will you stoop so low to shoot **me** with your seals and prove yourself an even lower creature?"

"How dare you!" Jiva screamed and she willed her amulet to take control of Spectro.

But Spectro saw the change in the amulet and was ready.

She gasped when the amulet had no effect on him!

"How can this be?" she said in utter disbelief. But she had not remembered the Parley's Oath. And that the one who uttered the oath was protected until the Parley had commenced.

"You have never understood anything, Jiva. And you never will!" he bravely answered her.

She reeled at the same accusation that the flesh-girl had made. And as Sombre looked on, she immediately lunged at Spectro with her talons; and he met her with his own.

Meanwhile, Johnny 13, though he was beginning to feel the effects of the harsh Spectre environment, braved to look out from behind the curtain. He had to get to Libro. But then he was confused when he saw that the book was on the ground. He had been so distressed about the entire situation, that he was not aware that Libro had been attacked by Jiva. Even so, Johnny knew that Libro was the only one who could help Tucker. He began to slink toward the book.

Danny, who had been just as surprised as Jiva to witness Spectro's challenge, snapped out of it when he suddenly caught Johnny 13's movements. Still, he hesitated with indecision. He was worried that Spectro would inadvertently hurt Sam, but now fearing for the biker ghost, he knew he had to see why Johnny 13 was here as well.

Deciding to trust Spectro, he slowly inched over to meet with the biker ghost. But as he moved away from Jiva and towards him, he made sure to keep his eye on the Princess, feeling relieved that she had not missed his presence—yet. Thankfully, she was too intensely pre-occupied with Spectro to notice his movements.

Finally Johnny 13 reached the teen and desperately whispered to him, "Dude! I need the book! Your friend Tucker has been hurt bad by the Spectre! Very bad!"

"NO!" Danny instinctively gasped and his cry was masked by the loud sound of Spectro's and Jiva's engaging claws. He knew that Tucker had been hurt, but to hear it confirmed once more caused him even more distress.

"But Libro's hurt, too! He **can't** help! Where's Tucker?" he hurriedly asked, his fear escalating again.

The ghost biker grabbed his arm. "C'mon!" he insisted, and quickly led the teen to his friend.

When Danny saw that Tucker was hardly breathing and how dusky he looked, he felt his own breathing increase with horror. Was it too late? He didn't hold back his tears as he hugged his friend and unconsciously lay his hand on his wound. _"NO!"_ He screamed in his mind.

He closed his eyes, denying with his very being that this was happening. He willed with all his might that Tucker would be all right! If only Libro was not hurt. If only he could heal his friend.

"No…," he found himself uttering, choking on the stinging teas that he didn't try to stop. And then that's when everything became too much for Danny and his strong will snapped. "Please, you can't die, Tuck! I can't lose you! I couldn't take it! I, I can't take _any_ of this anymore! I can't help Sam, and I can't help you! I have all these stupid powers and I still can't help either of you!...Why can't I help them? I'd gladly give up all my powers to save them!"

Danny began to breathe more erratically as he became conscious of the warm liquid seeping through his fingers, "Tuck…What do I do?" he whimpered, "What do I do? It's all my fault you and Sam are hurt… What do I do? I failed you both! This wasn't supposed to happen! I was supposed to keep you guys safe! It's my responsibility! You both depended on me and I've turned my back on you! I'm so sorry!"

He hugged Tucker even tighter, and closing his eyes, silently cried to the heavens with his entire heart, _"Please, don't let him die!"_

Johnny 13's eyes widened in amazement and he stood speechless as a bright blue aura suddenly appeared and quickly surrounded the crying boy and the still one. It seemed to continue indefinitely, but then it immediately dispelled when Danny startled at the loud thud he heard.

The noise had been caused from Spectro's body slamming into the wall right next to Danny, after absorbing Jiva's powerful red-and-black ray's blow. The general lay still, now defenseless against Jiva.

Not a moment later, Sombre also followed suit, no match for Jiva's power. He lay stunned near his brother.

Danny was no longer hesitant. He may have lost Tucker, but he would not let Jiva take Sam. And he had to help Spectro and Sombre. He lay his friend gently down and flew to meet Sam's body. He knew that Tucker would understand.

But before the young hybrid could do a thing, he saw something to his right. It was an old Spectre, who had been the one who had been watching the whole scene now and had been there at all the other times spying on Jiva's brewings. No longer willing to do nothing, she had suddenly leapt from the shadows.

"Never again will I let you hurt another Spectre!" the ancient one hissed. And, for some reason, she no longer looked decrepit. She immediately struck with her own black rays, which seemed to shine like silk with their own power. She successfully hit not Sam, but the amulet around her neck. The amulet flared but did not extinguish, and Jiva's fury intensified. The amulet quickly recovered and seemed to catch fire, and it suddenly enveloped Sam's body in an orange-red glow.

"What is this?" Jiva gasped, frantically inspecting the aura around her. But then, she suddenly felt weaker. She had forgotten all about the command of the P'numbra Parley and had attacked Spectro! Now, the amulet was enforcing the consequences.

But then, without warning, Bhuto had arrived and burst into the room. He did not hesitate and violently thrust his own red-and-black ray directly at Sam's body.

Sam's body didn't expect this newest attack. It screamed and Danny heard his Sam's mental scream of pain as well!

"Sam!" Danny yelled.

But he mentally heard Sam's voice through her painful gasps, _"You have.. to stop… her, too, Danny! You know...you do!" _

"No, I can't, Sam! I can't!" he yelled out loud in distress. He thought about the time when Sam had told him that she had to shoot him when he was a werewulf. But Sam was always strong like that. But he…he couldn't make himself do this. He couldn't.

"But I can!" the old Spectre said, as she thrust another blow at Sam's still glowing body. Bhuto followed up with another of his seals.

Sombre, meanwhile, had recovered from his blow and was rousing. Spectro, however, was still unconscious. He had taken a much harsher blow than his older brother.

Danny heard Sam scream again. He began to panic. But then he was bombarded with different thoughts. _"Remember the rings!"_ And suddenly, he knew what Libro meant! There was a chance!

"Johnny 13, help me!" Danny desperately cried, searching for the biker ghost. He did not know that Johnny 13 had not left Tucker's side, or that he had surrendered his ring to Sombre. But Danny cried again, "The rings! We can use all three of them to save Sam! Please!"

Sombre heard him and snapping fully out of his stupor, yelled, "Then, let us do it, boy!"

Danny didn't question the shadow ghost, and together they turned toward Sam's body.

Danny quickly turned the rings around, exposing the gems forward. He aimed the rings at Sam, closed his eyes, and concentrated. The two rings on his fingers began to tremble and brighten with their green glow.

But then, he was unaware of the blue aura which suddenly appeared around him again and then channeled itself through the two rings wrapped around his fingers. He also didn't know that the green light emanating from the rings now turned to blue when the aura around the teen touched them before they melded into one beam.

Sombre looked with amazement at what was happening but then concentrated back on the matter at hand. As soon as his ring produced a green beam, he aimed that ray toward the other two blue ones coming from Danny's rings; and instantly, his own beam changed to blue as well.

Danny finally opened his eyes and startled a little at the large blue beam issuing forth instead of the green one he had expected. But he didn't loose his concentration. In fact, he concentrated even more and the beam reached his girlfriend, instantly lighting her entire body in its hue.

And this intense blue energy was the combined power of the three rings-the very heart of the amulet-joined with Danny's own desperate desire to protect his Sam. It enveloped Sam's body not to destroy it, but to save it, while the old Spectre and Bhuto tried to destroy the Jiva within.

Sam's body shuddered violently as all the parties simultaneously assaulted it. But slowly, Jiva's power waned, and the claws retracted and her hair became fully ebony again. Her lips were no longer scarlet and the fangs dissolved. And her eyes turned violet once more before they fell closed into senselessness.

Then suddenly, Sam's body collapsed and something within it screamed in intense pain. Just as quickly, a black entity was ejected from the human body and thrown to the far side of the room. The amulet that had attached itself to its rejected Spectre mistress dulled.

All the attacking parties immediately stopped and the ancient Spectre rushed to Spectro.

Danny soared over to Sam and scooped her into his arms. His heart was racing in terror. She was totally white and not breathing.

"Sam!" he cried and buried his face against her neck. He was so distraught that he may have failed that he was unashamed of his tears. He choked, "NO! Not you, too? Please don't die! I love you, Sam… I love you with all my heart, don't you see? And I couldn't hurt you! I couldn't! Please forgive me! I couldn't hurt you! Please don't die! Don't leave me!"

Suddenly, he clearly heard her call, _"I'm all right, darling!"_ He looked up at her. But she was still not moving. His face scrunched up in grief again, thinking he was imagining it.

"_Danny, I'm alright!"_ He heard her say more assuredly this time; and then all of the sudden, her body loudly gasped and she slowly opened her amethyst eyes. She smiled weakly at him.

"Sam!" he yelled and hugged her tightly yet gently. "I thought I had lost you! And I'm sorry! I just couldn't make myself stop Jiva! I couldn't lose you. You mean everything to me and…."

She placed her index finger on his lips and quietly said, "Please, don't! I knew you couldn't make yourself hurt me! I could read your mind! But you had the power to protect me, as you always have. So, you did stop Jiva! You kept her from killing me!" She wiped away a few of his stray tears, a soft smile forming on her lips, before she wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, too. With all my heart…" she whispered, and gave him a very loving kiss.

Danny returned it, knowing now his Sam was all right.

But as they gently pulled away, Danny swallowed hard and realized that he would have to tell her the dreadful news. "But, Sam, Tucker is…."

"Is just fine!" Tucker interrupted him, still clinging to Johnny 13 for support.

"Tucker!" Danny yelled, his heart leaping for joy. "But how?"

"I don't know, dude! Johnny said you came over to check on me and when you touched me, both of us glowed all over in some kind of blue haze. Then I just woke up; though I do kinda feel like I've overslept!"

Danny took flight with Sam still in his arms and soared over to Tucker. He put Sam gently down and then hugged both of his friends for what seemed was a very long time.

But then both Danny and Sam had the same thought, "_Libro_!"

Suddenly, everything around the trio of best friends froze. But **they** could move freely. They scanned the area and saw the adult Clockwork gently picking up Libro. Then they glanced down and saw that each of them had a time medallion around their necks.

"You have done well, my friend!" the oldest form of Clockwork softly said as he created a small time bubble around the book.

"W-Will he...?" Danny stammered.

"No, he's won't die as you know it, Danny. But he has been extremely hurt to the point that if he doesn't come back with me, he will phase to the oblivion! It is good that the book he is in is magical. It absorbs other magic and information like a sponge. I will have to search for the cure and have his powers reabsorbed. So, he will heal, but that will take quite a while, I'm afraid!"

Though relieved at the news, Danny couldn't help but utter, "But why didn't he protect himself? He just stood there and let himself be hit!" Then another thought hit him and he added, "And why didn't you come then to save him, like you did before?"

Sam and Tucker stood speechless. Danny somehow knew this little bit of history. But, of course, they didn't know he had learned about it from Frostbite.

Purposely ignoring his last question, the young Clockwork calmly answered the first one, "He didn't protect himself because he felt that it was the best way to throw Jiva off-guard until she could be defeated. She believes that you are the Prophesy but wanted to control you and slowly absorb your powers as she had her father's. It was more pleasing to her to rule in this manner. But you resisted, and though she still believes you are the Prophesy, she knew then that the only way to get all of your powers was to destroy you."

"Also," Clockwork continued, "Remember how superstitious the Spectre are. If she thought she had challenged and destroyed the Prophesy in any way, she would, along with the amulet, have all the power of the Prophesy. When Libro declared himself as Ombre, she was thrown into mental turmoil. Two could not be Prophesy and she knew that Ombre once had been Prophesy. Now that she had human blood and emotions filling her being, she was momentarily confused. And so she reacted as Libro thought she would. On impulse. And that was enough for her to loose control. And, of course, Libro was right!"

Sam couldn't help but smile a little at what Clockwork said. He had called the book by the name she had given him. Obviously, the Time Master had approved of it.

The adult Clockwork then said, "But my friend did something a little foolish after he was shot that would have kept him from total harm."

"What was that?" Danny anxiously asked.

"He gave his healing powers to you!"

"What?" Danny exclaimed, totally struck by the Time Master's words. "I swear I didn't ask him…"

"Calm down, Danny! I know that!" The older Clockwork gently chided. "But he didn't know that your special nature and own healing abilities, along with the power of the two rings, would enhance his power in you twenty-fold! You have quite an impressive new power now, something that surely saved both of your friends."

Danny was awestruck once more and stumbled a little with the shock of Clockwork's news. Sam and Tucker immediately rushed to his side and embraced him on either side with both their support and love.

The three now stood speechless, trying to take everything in, when the youngest form of Clockwork finally answered Danny's other question, "And as far as my intervening, well, you know the answer to that one!"

"But, I still don't..," Danny continued, but then, paused. He was still not satisfied with Clockwork's remark, but didn't want to press his ghost friend too much.

Clockwork frowned a little with his persistence, before letting a small smile curl on one side of his mouth. After all, he really couldn't resist this young one, or his friends… Well, not totally…He calmly replied, "As you know: 'all that is, should be'. Libro had never given up on the Spectre, not even after all these years. And as you also know, he had convinced me to let him go with the rebels against Varjo. However, he failed and would have been destroyed had I not rescued him."

Clockwork paused and checked the time bubble that was still cradling his friend. "He was very distressed over his failure and begged me once more to let him try. But I refused, even when I knew his very soul ached to help his sons and his kind."

Danny was about to object, but the Time Master was way ahead of him and put up his hand to stop his interruption, as he added, "Why you may ask? Because the time was not right. So, he had to wait, as all of us, and all the Spectre, had to for the arrival of the true Prophesy of the Omen. And that would not happen, until you three would come to be, and, especially, when you would come to be, Danny."

The trio was stunned. They were still wresting with the emotions of their ordeal and now what of this new piece of information? The same thought echoed in their minds. What did Clockwork mean? Was Danny the Prophesy after all?

The adult Clockwork pulled them from their thoughts as he added, "And I also notice that you and Sam also share a new gift. And you know that I must say I am not surprised. You both already had the potential, especially Sam, but never had the opportunity to develop it….until you got a…how shall I say it?...a "jump start" from this incident."

Sam stammered, "B-But, how?...why?" She really didn't know what she was saying. But was he speaking about the fact that maybe they might now have…?

The adult Clockwork smiled as he gently interrupted her, "You knew there was always a connection between you and Danny, Sam. You were just afraid to let it happen or strengthen it because, well, you all are still teenagers!"

Sam blushed and squeezed Danny harder when she felt his own assuring squeeze. Tucker was a little confused by it all, but instead of questioning them at the moment, just smiled.

"Now, with your permission, Sam, I need to take care of my friend," the Time Master said, moving the time bubble containing Libro closer to his staff.

Sam slowly nodded in approval and said, "I hope he understands that this is for his own good! Would you please tell him that I'll visit him whenever I can?"

Danny and Tucker looked at each other and then said in unison, "And that goes for us, too!"

"Then since we all are in agreement, I will be leaving you. Besides, you have a meeting to go to and a mystery to solve!" the youngest form of Clockwork said.

Before the trio could comment any further, Clockwork and their time necklaces disappeared.

The room returned to normal and suddenly, the door burst open.

Phasma and his army had arrived.

"There he is! There is the traitor!" Phasma screeched hysterically, pointing to Spectro, who was just recovering from Jiva's blow.

The soldiers seized everyone in the room, placing flaming red handcuffs on Spectro. Danny immediately resisted, but hesitated when two of the soldiers got to Sam and Tucker first and threw their large, sharp talons to his friends' throats. Both Sam and Tucker gasped as they felt the piercing pressure against them, and Danny knew that the soldiers would not hesitate to press further.

The young hybrid stopped, but that was enough for another Spectre soldier to seize him and also threaten his own neck with the razor's edge of its powerful claws. He instinctively pulled at the talons, concentrating on his ectoplasmic rays and the rings as he did. But then, his head jolted at the next screech.

"And what? What is this? The Phantom-of-the-flesh here? And I was not told of it? How did he manage to infiltrate us? How dare he come into our realm! Is he here to steal the Prophesy?" Phasma shrieked, shoving his finger violently at the humans, the hybrid and the human ghost. But underneath, he was trembling in fear. He knew that this was fate. That creature had been on the trail of the mystery of the Omen of the Prophecy for a long time. And now he was here! This was a bad omen for him.

And then Phasma suddenly gasped when he finally saw the old Spectre. "You! What are you doing here?"

The ancient Spectre said nothing, but then Phasma gasped again. He saw his daughter's unconscious form in the near distance. He rushed over to her and caught his breath again when he saw the amulet around her neck, and that her hair and talons were now solidly black. Puzzled by all of this, he nevertheless quickly retrieved the amulet and placed it over his own neck.

Seeing that she was recovering, he helped her up and put her in a nearby chair.

Jiva gasped that with her touch; she could not read her father's mind at all. She concentrated again, but felt nothing.

"They attacked me, Father!" she wept weakly. "Punish them all! I demand punishment for them all, especially for the Phantom-of-the-flesh!"

"Yes, Daughter, all will be punished—severely." He floated over to Spectro, who even though was being held firmly by the soldiers and chains, did not cower in front of Phasma. Some of the soldiers were awed by this.

"And you, Spectro, will get the worst of it all for you treachery!" Phasma hissed.

"I have regretted nothing save that I had not acted sooner!" Spectro defiantly spat back.

Phasma screamed in anger, drawing out his blood-red talons as he did. He was about to strike Spectro down when, suddenly, all the Spectre in the room froze, except for Sombre. Their eyes turned solid and flared as red flames, paralyzing them where they floated.

The time had come.

By the power of the mystical and ancient Spectre law, the Spectre were being summoned to the P'numbra Parley.


	61. Chapter 61 The P'numbra Parley

**A/N: Are ya'll getting revved up for the part you were waiting for? Are y'all straight on what's happening? Have you solved the mystery yet? Will….oh, enough questions all ready! Here's Chapter 61. Still a personal fav chappie…really to the end! Enjoy! **

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 61—The P'numbra Parley

At first, Danny, Sam, Tucker, Johnny 13 and Sombre stood stunned at the sight. All the Spectre--except Sombre--slowly began to float as one toward the room first seen by Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 when they had entered the castle.

The Spectre were under the spell of the P'numbra Parley.

Even Spectro's army, which had just arrived at the castle to invade it, were summoned by the ancient magic that was called forth by the rarely-used assembly. They—and all the other Spectre throughout the Realm—displayed the same behavior as the ones now in Jiva's room. No Spectre under the power of the amulet could resist the council demanded by Spectro when Jiva had tried to trap him.

"What's going on?" Tucker asked, cringing as one of the dazed Spectre brushed past him.

After a moment of thought, Sombre said, "It has been a long, long time, but I would guess that a P'numbra Parley has been summoned!"

"What's that?" Sam asked, seeing that the Spectre moved in ultra-slow motion.

"It is an ancient rite. It is called whenever a Spectre feels that a grave injustice has been given to him; and all the Spectre, Elders and Prophesy must hear his case," Sombre explained.

"From what I've seen from the entire time we've been here, that should have been a daily occurrence!" Danny replied dryly, but then added, "But then, why aren't you affected by it?"

Sombre frowned a little in irritation at the boy's first comment, but let it go. Instead, he continued, "I am not affected because I am not under the power of the amulet. I have no talisman like all the others. Though the rite is ancient, the power of the amulet enforces it. And remember that my mind is free and the Spectre have not had totally free minds since the fall of my father…." Suddenly he startled. He had momentarily forgotten about the Book!

"Father!" he called, searching for where Libro had fallen, but the book was nowhere in sight.

"Where is he?" Sombre cried in obvious distress.

Danny quickly assured him, "He has been hurt, but Clockwork came and took him. Clockwork was sure that he would be all right."

Sombre's distressed face did not change, and Johnny 13 managed to move slowly to him and put his hand on his shoulder in sympathy. Sombre nodded to his friend to indicate that he was all right. But Sombre noticed instead that his friend didn't look well at first, but seemed better when they had momentarily touched.

Finally, the five visitors could see the last of the Spectre file out of Jiva's chambers.

Danny sighed and looking to his friends and the two other ghosts, said, "Well, Clockwork did say we had a meeting to go to. So, let's follow them!"

Sam and Tucker nodded and Danny easily scooped them up and headed right behind the last of the Spectre.

Johnny 13 and Sombre were no longer reluctant to see all this through. They, too, wanted to witness this rare event. They silently followed the teens.

* * *

When the five foreigners arrived in the Great Hall, they were amazed by the sight. It was in such contrast to the dull grays and blacks of the castle, but also to the Spectre Realm itself, and its folk in general. This room was highly decorated with banners in all colors of the rainbow, which draped the walls and hung from the ceilings.

The banners were so gay that they shimmered with any light that happened to hit them, and they undulated from an unseen wind, as if they were colorful fish frolicking amidst tropical coral. Their festive sparkle seemed odd compared to the rest of the dull castle and the company of five wondered why the Spectre weren't repulsed by it all.

There were tiers and tiers of chairs, rows upon rows of them, stretching all the way up to the high ceiling. The chairs were also decorated with various colors, orderly lined up in the room despite their number; and all of them faced one side of the room. There, nestled within the colorful seats, stood a very long and highly polished table made of a mahogany-like material. The table was also draped with colorful banners and a slender red table runner reclined in the middle of the table, the color of the family-–which the Spectre called 'houses'--of which Phasma belonged. In the center of the table sat the Chair of Authority, which had been removed from the Room of Authority just for the occasion. The Chair of Authority was flanked by huge black chairs which, though large, were not equal in height or width as the Chair of Authority. They also were stacked in tiers to hold what obviously were for the Elders of the Spectre.

Finally, directly in front of the table and facing the Chair of Authority, stood a lone elevated podium also made of a highly polished mahogany-like substance. It could be mistaken for a cage if it, too, weren't draped in colorful banners. But the podium did not fully encompass whoever would be within it. It only rose to waist height on each side, except for the front side, which reached to the shoulder of the one who would occupy it.

The Great Hall looked as if it should be a place for a gala rather than the trial as it in essence was.

As if they were playing pieces being set-up on a board game, all the Spectre slowly went to their respective places. Even when they were all in a hypnotic stupor under the ancient magic of the P'numbra Parley, each Spectre seemed to know exactly where he belonged in the Grand Hall. Phasma migrated to the Chair of Authority, Spectro to the lone podium, Jiva to the chair just to the left of Phasma, and various Spectre to specific nearby chairs, all according to the color of their Houses.

The five companions were amazed as each Spectre never brushed against another, even when one in particular was seated later than the others. This slow dance of the Spectre struck them as very queer indeed.

Lastly, a parade of shadow ghosts, each cloaked in the same style of black hooded capes, entered the scene. Many of them were hunched over, or floated even slower than the others to their assigned seats. Some even carried long staffs that pushed against an unseen force, supporting that particular shadow ghost as he or she floated toward their chair. And Danny noticed that the same old shadow ghost who had attacked Sam in Jiva's chamber took the seat immediately to the right of Phasma. The other cloaked shadow ghosts filled the seats that lined either side of the Chair of Authority.

Then, once the Spectre were all gathered and seated, Danny and his friends, and Johnny 13 and Sombre slowly made their way to the front. Since all the chairs in the hall were occupied, they needed to stand at the place they chose. They turned and scanned the entire area and were again struck at the huge amount of flaring red empty eyes that stared blankly back at them. The visitors shifted uncomfortably.

Then, just as sudden, the spell was lifted and the Spectre jolted a little from their release. But almost immediately afterward, the whole hall was in a murmur and many Spectre turned their gaze or pointed toward only the four foreigners. They seemed merely curious about Sombre.

Not a moment later, a resounding echo seemed to shake the hall as a very heavy gavel hammered commandingly at the hand of Phasma. All the Spectre knew it was a call for silence and they immediately obeyed.

Jiva silently scowled at one of the ancient Spectre, but the old one kept stolid, poker-faced.

Phasma briefly frowned at both of them, but then rose defiantly from his chair. Pointing an accusatory finger toward Danny and his company, he sharply objected, "No flesh-creatures or flesh-shadows have even been allowed in the P'numbra Parley! The Prophesy of the Spectre commands that all of them be immediately thrown into the dungeon!"

Several soldiers immediately surrounded those who were not Spectre. "Do not resist!" Sombre sternly warned them. All of them didn't question the shadow ghost and allowed the hostile, strong hands to restrain them. Tucker and Sam winced, and uttered painful groans at the force of their hold.

Now the outsiders were certain that Spectro had put them all in more danger by calling the P'numbra Parley.

"NO!" the ancient Spectre countered, rising from her own chair; and her voice was more thunderous than Phasma's. This was the very same decrepit Spectre whose powers had been used multiple times by the Princess those many weeks ago. Jiva had been frustrated in her initial search for Danny and in her attempts to get into his mind without his knowledge, and had made the old one help her.

All the Spectre were startled to an immediate hush. After all, it was Asara, the head of the Elders, who was speaking!

"The P'numbra Parley had been called forth but had not yet commenced when these four foreigners were present in the castle. The law applies to all those who were within the Realm during the entire spellbinding process of the incantation! They have a right to be present!" she firmly said.

Phasma frowned in disgust. He knew she was right! "Release them!" he shrieked and the guards immediately obeyed.

The four comrades and Sombre breathed in relief.

Phasma then pointed to Sombre and cried, "But you! You will stand next to the accused!"

Asara did not object this time. The Prophesy had the privilege of changing the seating of the Spectre if he felt it necessary.

Danny, Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 were left to stand nearby. They were, of course, near enough to hear the entire proceedings.

Phasma, meanwhile, momentarily ignored them and rapped the gavel on the block again, crying, "He who stands accused and demanded the P'numbra Parley in his defense is present in the Examination Chamber. Let him speak his full name for all to hear!"

All were quiet, anxiously straining to hear what the Spectre in the Chamber in front of Phasma would say. Many of the soldiers squirmed uncomfortably. They did not like what they were seeing.

Spectro thought a moment and then squaring himself to his full height, proudly said, "I am Sp—"

But before he could say anymore, Jiva shot up from her chair and hotly interrupted him, "He is not who he says he is! I felt his mind when he attacked me in my chambers and…."

The hall erupted in gasps, stunned that the Princess had just spoken out-of-turn. This time, cries of alarm interrupted her. But the soldiers would not believe what she said. Even Phasma was momentarily shocked by her outburst, but Asara let a slight smile escape her.

"Silence, Daughter!" Phasma firmly said, mortified by her explosion. "Do you wish to draw the condemnation of the powers guiding this council? We all know Spectro was the High Commander!" He was obviously unsettled. His eyes darted around, fearing this bad omen. He hoped that his superstitious fears of the repercussions of his daughter's transgressions would not come true.

Jiva was about to erupt again, but Phasma's eyes--and the suddenly flaring amulet--sternly silenced her. She knew she could say no more now.

Phasma took a deep breath and hit the gavel again. "Order!" he declared, and the noise stifled. "Now,…"

But he suddenly noticed how attentive Danny, Sam, Tucker were. But not the other shadow-of-the-flesh. Phasma became very agitated. He hated that they were allowed to be there at all, but he would fix that. He did not care what Asara said.

"YOU!" he screeched at the foursome, this time jabbing the gavel toward them. Johnny 13 jumped at his growl. "I should have done this in the beginning! I forbid your being this close to the Chair. Relegate yourselves to the back of the hall—NOW!"

Asara could not object. The half-ghost and his friends frowned in irritation, but Johnny 13 had already started back just before they turned and followed the biker ghost.

All the Spectre they passed along the way toward the back of the room growled at them in indignation; and every once in a while, a set of Spectre arms or hands hurriedly shoved the unwanted visitors towards their designation. Soon, the comrades found themselves herded to the partitioned foyer of the hall's entrance. Once there, every Spectre turned back toward the Chair of Authority and ignored the foreigners.

Now the foursome was essentially shunned. They could barely see the proceedings, and were all alone.

"Now what?" Johnny 13 weakly cried to those with him. He struggled to wipe his wet brow. "My friend is on trial and we can't even see or hear what awful thing they're goin' to do to him!"

"Yeah, and what about Spectro? Something tells me that what'll happen to him won't be exactly pleasurable!" Tucker whispered to the rest as well. He, too, then wiped the sweat off his brow. But he noticed that his breathing was much easier than it had been since he had first felt the affects of the Spectre Realm.

Sam ignored the slight discomfort she was still feeling. Even though she felt tired, she was also surprised _just _how well she was feeling, considering that they were still here with the Spectre. She knew she didn't have the time to wonder why.

But Danny was even more aware of how difficult it still was for him to breathe, and he was still perspiring. The intensity of the magic surrounding the P'numbra Parley intensified the effects of the elements within the Great Hall. Still, Danny grabbed his chin in thought and Sam closed her eyes and concentrated. Suddenly they both gasped and looked at each other. They both were aware that they had reacted to each of their ideas.

"You first, Sam!" Danny said in an excited whisper, knowing that they all had to be quiet.

Even though the area they were now in did dampen their voices, they still did not want to risk calling any attention to themselves from the Spectre.

"Tucker's right! Phasma's going to trap Spectro! He's going to make sure Spectro's condemned to the oblivion!" she said, gagging her gasp.

The other three did not miss the distress in her voice or face.

"How did you….?" Tucker began and then interrupted himself when he saw Sam point to her own head.

She dryly replied, "Yeah! I reached Phasma's mind! Spooky….but cool!"

Tucker smiled weakly, but he did not understand what she was talking about. "What are you talking about? How can you…but….never mind, 'cause I have the sneaky suspicion that we just don't have the time!" He added with a shrug. Perhaps, he thought, he hadn't heard her right because he was still recovering from Bhuto's attack. But, he also didn't want to forget his other friend's emotional utterance, and asked him, "So, what about you, Danny?"

But Danny said, really to himself more than the others, "No! It was a lame thought! And Tucker's right! We don't have any time!"

"What do you mean?" Tucker asked. "C'mon, dude, no idea is too lame at this point!"

Danny smiled at his encouragement and said, "OK! I was thinking about the mystery. That's the answer!"

His companions blinked in confusion.

Danny sighed and said, "What I mean is that if we could solve the mystery, we might find out who the real Prophesy is and since he is supposed to be all wise and everything, if he were revealed, he might be able to save Sombre and Spectro."

The others took his idea seriously.

But then Tucker said, "But how do you know it's not Phasma? Or if it is someone else, how do you know if he or she would spare Spectro and Sombre?"

Danny replied, "I don't know how to explain it. I just have a feeling about it all. But if we had the answer to the riddle, I think it might work."

This time Sam spoke up. "What might work?"

Danny continued, glad they didn't think he was being totally off-the-wall. "Well, remember how superstitious Clockwork said the Spectre are? And did you see, well, how spooked Phasma was when Jiva yelled out? He looked as if lightening might strike him down! If we can convince the Spectre that we have the power to reveal the Prophesy's Omen and then actually reveal it, they might be upset enough to let Sombre and Spectro go, or at least I hope for something like that! The problem is we can't do that! We don't have all the clues!"

The young hybrid's shoulders slumped in defeat.

But Tucker smiled, knowing that Danny didn't know what Sam and he had accomplished. He said, "No, dude, you're wrong! We do have them!" He had been way ahead of his friend when Danny had been talking. He had reached into his cargo pants and pulled out both his PDA **and** the deep red gem that were still there! "And if any time would be in need of it to be solved, it would be NOW!"

Danny gasped in disbelief at the sight. And then he smiled. There still was a chance! "But how?" Danny asked Tucker, totally flabbergasted.

Fortunately, even though they were experiencing a lot of emotions since they had been forced to the back of the hall, they all still managed to keep their voices low enough so as to not draw any attention from the Spectre.

"Remember? You wanted us to work on the mystery while you went to rescue Libro. Well, we did work on it and this is what we found," Tucker told him.

Danny smiled at his best friends. At that moment, he knew how totally lucky he was.

"Yeah, and Johnny 13 helped us," Tucker was proud to tell his friend.

But then the three best friends noticed something. When they looked to the biker ghost, they gasped. He had not said a thing since his first comment at the beginning of this conversation and now they knew why. They thought he didn't look right earlier. But now, he did not look well at all. His ghostly skin was greener and his eyes were now nestled in red rings.

"What's wrong, Johnny?" Sam asked, obviously very upset with his condition.

"M-my ring! T-the one that p-protected me!" he stammered, as he began to ooze to the floor. "I-I gave it to S-Sombre!"

"That's right!" Danny said, quickly floating to him and helping the biker ghost up. "It was _Sombre_ who had the ring and helped me in Jiva's room!" The boy quickly removed Ombre's ring from his right hand and placed it on one of Johnny 13's fingers. He kept Spirto's ring, as it fitted better than the larger one that had been on his right hand. But Danny jolted a little as he became more painfully aware of the elements again. But he ignored that.

Johnny 13 sighed in relief. The ring's protection was instantaneous.

And the three best friends also sighed in relief.

"Are you all right?" Sam asked the biker ghost, her face still scrunched with worry.

"Yeah, I think so, thanks to you all!" He wanted to say more, but felt this wasn't the time.

Instead, he looked at Danny and said, "Anyhow, dude, I agree with all of you and we need to solve the mystery for Sombre and Spirto's sake!"

"Spirto?" the trio gasped simultaneously. They had remembered that this had been the name of Sombre's brother.

Johnny 13 quickly said, "He's the one on trial! Spirto is Spectro!!! But I don't think we've got the time to go into it all now!"

They all looked at each other and nodded. They knew they didn't even have time to tell Danny how they got the clues. They had to work on them **now**.

Danny looked at them and couldn't subdue the determined look on his face as he firmly declared, "Well, then, guys, let's get on it! We _have_ to solve it **before **the end of the P'numbra Parley!"


	62. Chapter 62 The Prophesy's Omen Revealed

**A/N: Ya still with me? Remember that Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 had found the last clues a while ago and A LOT had happened in between that kept them from sharing that with Danny. But now, they don't have the time to even do that! They need to solve the mystery—NOW! So, now, are you ready for the climax? I sure am! I want to find out who the Prophesy of the Spectre is! And WOW what a long climax it is!! Still a personal fav chappie, rivaling for #1! So, IDNOAC, and here is Chapter 62. Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Chapter 62—The Prophesy's Omen Revealed

Tucker gulped at the sheer weight of the task at hand. He sure hoped they would be able to solve this mystery. They had to! He handed the dark red gem to Sam, turned on his PDA, and then read the last clue:

"Heed the glow  
Ere the blow  
Heed the glow  
Hind the blows  
Bind the Spectre  
To find the Way  
Power to b'stow."

Danny wrinkled his brow in thought, ignoring the sweat that had already begun to slide down his neck ever since he had given Johnny 13 the other ring. He couldn't think about his mounting adverse reactions to the elements now that he had only one ring. He then asked them, "'Ere'...doesn't that mean 'before'….and 'hind'…doesn't that mean 'after' in poetry terms?"

Sam inadvertedly answered him mentally, _"I've been rubbing off on you too much, huh?" _And he could tell that she had been laughing.

He startled out of thought when he clearly heard her and looked right at Sam. She blushed.

"Yeah, well, you're right!" he said out loud to her with a wry smile, and the other two looked at them in bewilderment, thinking the odd way that Danny had answered himself.

Danny cleared his throat in embarrassment and said, "Uh, anyway, let's approach this like all the others, OK? The first verse is 'Heed the glow'. What glow?" This time he **was **asking himself more than the others.

"The rings?" Tucker offered.

"Maybe," Danny conceded. "But then, what 'glow before the blow'? Remember, we had to hit the rings before they would glow...well, not counting when I first saw them and how they are here, of course!"

They were all silent at first, desperately racking their brains. But then Johnny 13 said, "No, that's not exactly right!"

The teens looked at him, anxious to hear more.

He pointed to the dark red gem and continued, "Don't ya remember," he questioned Sam and Tucker, "When I tried to pick up that jewel when we were at Sam's house, my ring glowed?"

"Yes! It did!" Sam excitedly said. "But you didn't touch the gem! What would happen if you did?"

"Well, we better hurry and find out!" Danny said, reaching for the gem that was still in Sam's hand.

Just as his hand approached the stone, Spirto's ring that was on Danny's outstretched hand began to glow and shake. And just as the gem made contact with this same hand, it no longer looked black. Starting at its heart, a glow burned within the jewel, magnifying the richness of its true red color.

"Hey, Johnny? Let's see what happens if you touch it," Danny said.

This time, Johnny didn't hesitate to approach the teen, and do as he said. And now with the two rings in contact, the gem was even a brighter garnet.

"That's it!" Danny said, totally convinced. "This is the 'glow before the blow'!" With his free hand, he pulled the red gem away from their hands and put it into one of his pockets. Then another wild thought hit him. "The blows! Hey! That must be it! Remember when we had to hit the three rings together to get the clues about Melancholy Mountain, ya know, the 'brown mount' clue from before?! Maybe we have to do the same thing again!"

"And the clue definitely says: 'Hind, I mean, _after_ the **blows," **Sam pointed out.

"So Abantesma, the Spectre Whizard, must have seen the three rings after all!" Tucker chimed in. He was on the same mental track as his friends. And he was so right!

Johnny 13 stood speechless. He never realized more than now that when these three friends were determined to get something done, their logic rocked. Finally, he blurted out his earlier thought, "Uhm, do you, like, do you might wanna try to be friends after all this? I certainly don't want ya as enemies anymore. You're all way too smart!"

The trio just smiled a little but then went right back to business.

"I think you're right, Tuck! Now if we can just solve the rest of this puzzle, then we can get a message to Sombre through his ring!" Danny said, and by the tone of his voice, he was clearly encouraged.

"I think it's pretty easy from here," Sam said as she reread the rest of the clue from Tucker's PDA:

"Bind the Spectre"

"That means that the Spectre will be united by the answer..."

"To find the Way  
Power to b'stow"

Sam confidently continued, "Once the gem is struck with all three rings, the gem will somehow tell us who the Prophesy is. It has to! Otherwise, why would 'Way' be capitalized? The 'Way' is the Prophesy! And the power, the amulet, that is, will be given to him once he's known."

Danny and Tucker thought a moment and then smiled, totally in agreement with her.

Johnny 13 just blinked, not entirely catching their drift, but he didn't question them. He already knew he could trust their judgment.

"So, we're all in agreement, then?" Danny asked the others and they all nodded. "You know we can't be certain, but I think it's the best we can come up with. It makes the most sense! Now all we have to do is wait for the right moment. And let's see if that 'right moment' is now!"

He turned to Johnny 13 and lifting his ring up, said to the biker ghost, "How 'bout we 'call up' Sombre?"

Johnny 13 smiled weakly and flew right up to Danny. They clinked their rings together and suddenly, as if he was using a microphone, they heard Phasma speaking loudly and clearly. The Prophesy was still going through the long-winded introductions of the Elders and high officials. But he hesitated a moment when the amulet trembled from the rings striking each other. But Phasma knew he had to continue.

Sombre noticed the change in his ring right away and quickly turned it around and hid it within his hand.

Finally, after what seemed hours to the teens and the biker, Phasma was through with the introductions.

Then the Prophesy said, "So, the Spectre present know that the Realm is concerned about the Parley precisely because we are all here, bound by the ancient incantation. And we are here to listen to the accused. And as you can plainly see, the accused is Spectro! He is accused of not speaking the truth to the Princess, and breaking her command. But I will add more to his guilt. I accuse him of high treason!"

The crowd erupted in gasps at this new charge, and none of them was as loud as all the soldiers, except for Bhuto. They could and would not believe that. They had nothing but the utmost respect for their High Commander. They shifted their gaze amongst themselves, trying to read the others' reaction and possible intentions. But for now, they said and did nothing.

Jiva smiled at her father's words. She would have no need to accuse Spectro of anything more. This was better. And if he were proven a traitor, she knew what that would mean: extinction to the Oblivion!

But Spectro didn't react at first. He knew that the Prophesy was allowed to add to or change any accusation that had already been brought up, even if it were different from the original one. It did not matter that the incantation had already been uttered about the first offense.

"How does the accused plead?" Phasma charged and his words thundered with such force that Spectro could have sworn he had been literally buffeted by them.

"Guilty!" Spectro thundered back.

More shocked gasps exploded in the hall, including those that echoed from the group listening in through the still activated rings. The Spectre then began to murmur loudly.

"What is he _doing_?" Johnny 13 harshly whispered to his companions.

"I don't know! But let's listen!" Danny whispered back.

Phasma struck the gavel to the block on the table again and announced with a triumphant smile, "What more do we need? You heard it from his own mouth! Take him…"

"NO!" Asara forcefully interrupted, and the entire hall was startled to silence once more. She insisted, "The accused has the right to speak and to seek upon counsel!"

Phasma glared at her. He knew she was right. But as all the Spectre looked on in silent anticipation, Phasma pulled Asara aside and hissed, "What do you mean by this, Asara?"

"Are you cowed, Phasma?" she hissed back. "If there is nothing but truth in what Spectro has to say, why be afraid?"

Phasma growled. She had him where she wanted him. "And, dear Asara, when I have ridded myself of him, I will deal with you as well!"

But Asara, without a hint of emotion, merely replied, "So be it!"

Then Phasma turned back to the crowd and boomed, "By the law of the P'numbra Parley, the accused has the right to state his case!"

Spectro let a small smile escape. If he was to be condemned, he would not perish in vain. He turned toward the crowd, and then bowed his head a moment in thought.

All the Spectre waited at the edge of their seats, anxious to hear Spectro's words. Then, when they could no longer bear the silence that now screamed at them, Spectro finally began to speak, and his voice was strong, yet gentle and pleading, all at once, "Have all the Spectre forgotten? Forgotten the glory we once had?! We were once a mighty race of ghosts, untamed, yes, but mighty nevertheless!"

He turned to face the crowd to his right. "And have all the Spectre forgotten our history of suffering before Ombre came to us?"

Phasma slammed the gavel to the block on the table so violently that it snapped in two. "The accused is **NOT **to proclaim that name!" he shrieked.

Spectro twisted wildly around to Phasma and met him with intensely blazing green eyes. But they flared very briefly, as Spectro gained quick control over his emotions. And when they returned to their normal shade, he countered, "But I am bound to speak only the truth! It is our history. The Elders know it!"

The Elders murmured amongst themselves and then nodded to Asara. She, too, nodded in agreement with Spectro.

The rest of the hall uttered a hushed gasp.

Phasma relented, though his shaking right hand betrayed his anger. He hissed, "Continue!"

Jiva looked on in shock. She could not believe that her father allowed such lies from Spectro. But she, too, kept silent. Then she smiled with her next thought. Spectro would undoubtedly be condemned for his false statements.

Spectro turned back to the crowd and spoke to the Spectre on his left this time. And both his eyes and his words penetrated them. "Have the Spectre forgotten, then, how content we once were?...We were at peace. We had prosperity. But we did not guard ourselves! Our leader was wise, but we did not guard our own behavior. We had the law, but we became too content to protect it. And that contentment bred complacency and complacency begot self-indulgence. And that made us vulnerable….vulnerable to depravity, injustice and slavery!"

The host of Spectre squirmed in discomfort. They knew that this was true. But they did not like that it seemed as if he were actually accusing _them_ now!

But Spectro pressed on, "When Ombre fell and Varjo ascended the Chair of Authority as Prophesy, the Spectre fell to ruin, fell to wantonness, and fell to despair!"

Though tempted to object, Phasma held his tongue. He would let Spectro dig his own grave.

But some of the crowd, fearful of Phasma, erupted in unconvincingly angry cries in response to Spectro's words; others remained silent. But the noise quickly died when Spectro continued to stand tall. He would not be deterred. He continued, and his voice was low, as if he were moaning in grief, "When the Realm fell, I was too young, too inexperienced, to prevent it, though the very bottom of my central core ached for the return of the Spectre glory."

"But I was shown mercy in my youthful passion and was guided by a wise Spectre spurned by her own house. For that, I will be eternally grateful. And I grew in service to the Spectre and I waited in errant complacency."

Spectro turned his attention to the group of Spectre directly in front of him and pressed on, "And through the years of suffering, I saw other Spectre who also wanted to be a great race again. I found others who wished to be free and proud. To stand by the law once more. I now was in position. The time for the return of the glory of the Spectre grew nigh."

The High Commander turned his gaze to the crowd to his right once more and said with dread, "But still, I waited, sparking cruelty and injustice; and more Spectre suffered because of it!"

He shook his head. "And all of us were afraid to speak our minds. Though our hearts burned with the truth, we denied it, afraid to oppose those who misused the power and had convinced us that their lies were the truth. I am most guilty of this. I have denied many truths in the hope of holding those who lie accountable."

Regret vanished from his voice, and was replaced with conviction. "And yes, our minds were in turmoil. We were in doubt. But we should not be afraid anymore! We should uphold the truth, uphold justice, uphold righteousness, no matter the consequences!"

He looked right through the Spectre as he turned to his left again. "No matter the consequences! Yes! Indeed, that takes even more within us to do. It takes a strength that many of us have denied after all these years...But, there is still hope. We can rid ourselves of our despair. If you let the strength within you burn. Is it still there?"

The crowd sat stunned to silence.

Upset that he may not have gotten completely through to them, Spectro then raised his fists and shook them violently upward in self-lamentation and thundered, "So, yes, I accept the consequences!! I am guilty of treason! But not treason against the Spectre. Not treason against the Prophesy! But treason against **truth, **against** justice, and **against** righteousness **for being too complacent to protect them!"

The Spectre remained in shock, unprepared for this kind of defense. Danny, Sam, Tucker and Johnny 13 were also in awe at Spectro's bravery. But Sombre bowed his head in shame.

Finally, Spectro let out a painful cry, "And so, I find myself at the mercy of the Parley!! Judge me not by how I would have seen the glory of the Spectre restored, but that in my hesitation, I had not acted quickly enough to spare even one more Spectre from suffering under the malice that now surrounds us."

Though the hall remained in an unsettled hush, Phasma could no longer keep silent. He wanted to make it clear to the Spectre that Spectro had delivered up his own condemnation. He taunted Spectro, and his voice was shrill, "Do you say, then, Spectro, that you would have me overthrown?"

"Yes, I would!" Spectro said, standing more erect. "It is my guilt that many Spectre have suffered too long from the cruel hands of you and your merciless daughter!"

Again, the hall erupted in unconvincing agitated cries of condemnation mixed with support of Spectro.

Phasma shrieked above the din, "You hear! You **all **hear! He would cast down your Prophesy!"

The crowd roared louder. But the soldiers still refused to abandon Spectro.

Then Phasma quickly willed a new gavel through the power of the amulet and one appeared in his hand. He struck repeatedly and violently on the block in front of him until the crowd settled down.

Danny hurriedly whispered to his friends, "We need to be ready. I think it's going to be any time now!"

They all nodded and continued to listen through the rings.

"And who would you have placed upon the Chair of Authority had you seen 'the glory of the Spectre restored' as you say, traitor? Would it be yourself?"

The hall grew more agitated, murmuring more amongst themselves.

Phasma banged a command of silence from the gavel and the Spectre relented.

"NO, I am not worthy of an honor such as that! I would have placed **anyone** but you and your despicable daughter upon the Chair of Authority, Phasma! You both have been a disgrace to justice and a shame to your House of Phantôme and, of course, to all of the Spectre!!" And Spectro's brave words echoed within the hall.

The four foreigner's gasps over hearing the word 'Phantôme' were drowned out by the thundering reaction of the Spectre in the hall. What was this 'House of Phantôme'? Was this the last name of Phasma?

And the hall continued to roar. It looked as if mayhem would ensue, but Phasma madly banged his gavel and his amulet flared with trying to calm them. But he was having the same difficulty himself. As the commotion subsided, he hysterically yelled, "I am Prophesy! I am Prophesy! Who are you to say this to me?"

Spectro stood very erect and tall and said defiantly, "I, _**Spirto**_, son of Ombre, so do decry you!"

Suddenly a voice next to Spirto declared, "And I, Sombre, son of Ombre, affirm the same!"

The crowd stood up and erupted in cries of shock.

Even though the news still stunned her a little, Sam hurriedly—and mentally—whispered to Danny_, "Uh, I think that's our cue!"_

He heard her and didn't hesitate to quickly answered her back in his mind, _"You're right, Sam! This is it!" _

"C'mon! Johnny, be ready….And just a sec…Sombre!" Sombre heard Danny's voice coming from his ring and inconspicuously brought his hand up against his ear. "Be ready with your ring. We're coming!"

Sombre understood but said nothing as Danny scooped up his friends. Johnny 13 also nodded to the boy in understanding and followed them just as Phasma was banging his gavel.

The crowd settled and sat down again. Phasma stopped hammering and said, "The Parley will hear no more of this mockery of justice! No Spectre can deny the guilt and treachery of Spectro! Clearly, all his words are lies, since he has fooled all the Spectre and lied about who he really was! And now it is most fitting of the shame to their house that his **brother **chooses the same sentence with him! And this will be their judgment:…"

Danny, his friends, and Johnny 13 soared upward and headed straight to where Spirto and Sombre were.

All the Spectre noticed this bold move by the foreigners just as Phasma concluded, "…Spirto and Sombre will be…."

"**Will be exonerated!" **Danny forcefully interjected, finishing the sentence for Phasma. He quickly landed next to Spirto and Sombre and released his friends. Johnny 13 also landed near his friend Sombre.

The crowd of Spectre sat paralyzed with this newest development. Here was the powerful Phantom-of-the-flesh defying their Prophesy at a P'numbra Parley! They took it as a serious omen in and of itself.

But Phasma stood up in violent indignation and boomed, "What? How dare you interrupt these proceedings! You were allowed to attend but not to participate!"

Danny's quick mind thought of the last clue. He now knew what to say. He soared upward again and hovering a little higher over Spirto, loudly declared to the Parley, "Even if we can tell you who the true Prophesy of the Spectre is, the one foretold in the Omen of the Prophecy?" He purposely used the same term the Spectre understood, though it had been wrong.

The hall gasped at his words, and Sam frantically called to his mind, _"What are you doing, Danny?"_

"_Trust me!"_ he insisted back to her mind.

"_OK!"_ she said a little hesitantly, but they both knew they had no time to argue. She hoped he knew what he was doing.

He continued, even more loudly than his first declaration. "Or do the Spectre deny a challenge **for** the Chair of Authority?"

The entire hall leapt up in an uproar.

Sombre and Spirto looked up at Danny in shock. How could this creature know about this ancient Spectre challenge? A new leader was often chosen by this very same provocation! Was it even possible that he knew that if his challenge was denied, a curse would befall all the Spectre present in the Parley? But how could he? Still, if he did, then maybe the boy was the Prophesy after all!

"_Danny!"_ Sam screamed in fear to his mind.

"_It's OK, Sam! I know what to do! You know, like all the other stuff…."_ And he quickly shared his thoughts with her, thoughts that he knew were right. After all, he had discovered these facts the same way as all the others about the Spectre: from all his encounters with Jiva.

She suddenly knew where he was going with this, and was quick to encourage him, _"OK, go for it!" _

Phasma banged the gavel again, and the hall was stunned to silence once more.

"Be ready," Danny whispered into his ring to Johnny 13 and Sombre.

Johnny 13 and Sombre nodded in understanding. They then looked at each other. They knew they were both ready. They had relayed that to each other through that silent exchange with which they were so adept.

All the Spectre had their eyes glued on this young hybrid and a great hush fell over the hall. They knew they were once ruled by a shadow-of-the-flesh, and this one was very powerful. They waited, knowing that they would cling to every word he would say.

Now that Danny had their undivided attention, he landed right next to Spirto, Sombre, Johnny 13, and his friends. He looked to Johnny and the biker nodded. Danny understood it as readiness on all their parts.

Danny pulled out the red jewel from his pocket and said in a very loud voice, "The _**true **_Prophesy of the Spectre challenges Phasma _**for**_ the Chair of the Authority!"

The crowd erupted again at the meaning of these words, and Phasma banged on the block in front of him. He, too, was shaken by this flesh-shadow's effrontery, but nevertheless howled, "You dare mock us, flesh-shadow? You do not know with whom you are dealing!"

"I am **not** mocking the Spectre! You know very well that my friends and I have been on this mystery trail of the Prophecy's Omen for quite a while, Phasma!"

The hall loudly reacted with all kinds of emotional outbursts: disbelief, anger, hope and shock. Phasma allowed flesh-creatures to know their secrets? But then again, perhaps it was fate that brought this young flesh-shadow to them.

The Prophesy struck the gavel violently again and the hall quieted.

In the meantime, Jiva had been both awestruck and irritated with the entire proceedings so far. She now wished she had paid attention to her father more when he had explained all this to her in the past. Still, with the current scene's drama, she couldn't help but continue to feel drawn to Danny and regretted that she could not have controlled him. Then a new thought surfaced and she sighed in defeat. She knew she never would have controlled him! Angry that one so powerful had slipped through her fingers, she now only wanted to see him fail in his ruse. She snickered, mentally sending what she wanted toward her father, "_There is no Omen of Prophecy! Let the Phantom-of-the-flesh show himself to be the fool that he is! And afterward, we can rid ourselves of him, his flesh-creatures, Spectro and all of those who caused us such a burden!" _

But Phasma did not hear her. She didn't know that she no longer had any significant power. And what she also didn't know was that **both **Danny and Sam **did hear her **and gagged their gasps.

Then, Phasma's words interrupted their thoughts, "Let the Phantom-of-the-Flesh speak; and if the Parley finds him in mistruth, then he and all of his company will perish along with the accused!"

Danny swallowed hard. He didn't think it would come to this, but he was sure that he and his friends had solved the mystery. All what was needed was the final act.

The hall fell silent, awaiting the Elders' response. Asara rose and looked at Phasma in hate; but then she glanced at Spirto, Sombre and, finally, Danny. She hid her emotion well from them. "Let it be as the Prophesy says," she somberly said.

Danny stepped toward Sombre and Johnny 13 and said, "OK, this is it, guys!" He gave the stone to Sombre and added, "We need to strike the gem with all three rings!"

"Are you sure, boy?" Sombre asked hesitantly.

"No, but I pray I'm right!" Danny answered.

Sombre held the dark red gem up for all to see and was surprised that it glowed dimly in his bare hand.

Danny noticed that this had not happened to anyone else unless it was held by a hand with one of the rings on it. But the teen threw the thought aside, and looked to coordinate with Sombre and Johnny 13. Getting their nod of readiness, they brought their rings closer.

And as the rings neared the upheld stone, the crowd gasped in awe when the rings began to glow, their intensity increasing as they neared the upheld stone. But Danny noticed that one of three rings glowed the brightest as it drew near the gem.

Finally, all three rings struck the jewel simultaneously and a loud sound, as if a gong was demanding the attention of all in attendance, riveted the hall and shook its walls. Sam and Tucker reflexively held their ears under the sonorous onslaught. Immediately afterward, the dark gem ignited in red fire and the three rings responded with their own green flames. But the flames didn't burn as they leapt higher and intertwined themselves with the red aura already forming around the gem.

Danny, Sombre and Johnny 13 pulled back and everyone in the hall was awestruck as the jewel suddenly floated out of Sombre's bare hand and soared upward under its own power. The jewel was engulfed in a flaming red halo that was now more than ten times larger and brighter than the stone itself.

An instant later, a thunderous, commanding voice was heard pulsating from the gem, and with each word, the bright flames leapt outward and seemed to penetrate their very souls. In all the Spectre's—and the foreigners'--minds, they knew that the voice belonged to Abantesma, the ancient Spectre Whizard:

Hear, O Spectre  
The Omen of the Prophesy  
Not merely umbrae  
But flesh-blood lie  
Melded with power  
Though other Houses dismay  
This very hour

Hear, O Spectre  
The Omen of the Prophesy  
Wrought with sweet delay  
In secret, in strength he lie  
A power most unique  
His soul does convey  
Yet, no power does he seek

Hear, O Spectre  
The Omen of the Prophesy  
Knees bow, heed, obey  
He who is nigh  
For each eye will know  
To hearken this greatest Way  
The Younger House of Phanto!

Danny stood stunned at first. He understood this passage! He was both umbrae—shadow--and flesh-blood. He had powers and they were unique. And Clockwork said that the Spectre had to wait, or delay, any changes until he came. Certainly, if he were the Prophesy, all the other Spectre would be upset. But, had Abantesma gotten his name wrong? After all, the Whizard was looking at the future in the past. Had that Spectre's vision not revealed to the Whizard the last letter of his name? But then what he had felt all along surfaced again. He had no desire to rule the Spectre. But the passage said that, too! He swallowed hard. But if he were the Prophesy, what was he going to do? But another wild thought came foremost to his mind and though he was still worried that he was the Prophesy, he smiled weakly.

Sam and Tucker were also stunned and looked at each other.... Sam's mind whirled and she felt a knot of dread in her stomach. A fleeting thought surfaced. Could Phasma be the Prophesy after all? He had a human ancestry and perhaps they heard the last part wrong. Maybe the Whizard had said: 'The younger house of Phantôme?" But then Sam shook her head decisively. She knew this couldn't be. 'Phantôme' didn't rhyme with 'know'! Besides, there was more to these clues. And Phasma had wanted the power. And then, she gasped. The meaning of the other passages became suddenly clear. Could the Whizard have meant Danny after all? She tried to relay this message to Danny mentally, but she couldn't get through due to his strong emotional reaction to the news.

Tucker then startled. He suddenly remembered a power. A power most unique. The rings had glowed when Danny had neared them and did not do that with Johnny 13. They may have not recognized 'regular' ghosts, but special ones. And Danny may be even more special…maybe Danny was the Prophesy after all!

Johnny 13 was speechless. Was Sombre the Prophesy? He also had a human ancestry. He, too, had noticed that the red gem had glowed in his friend's ringless hand. That was certainly a unique power that no one else had displayed. And Sombre had lived in secret for so long, perhaps gaining the strength he needed to be the new Prophesy. His friend had mentioned that he had to save his kind many, many times over the years. But what was this 'House of Phanto'? He had only known Sombre as 'Sombre' alone. Maybe it meant the kid? NO, after all these years they had waited—in sweet delay, no doubt--this had to be what was meant to be! But his shoulders slumped at the thought. He would lose his friend for sure!

Sombre also riveted from these last clues. He, of course, was the descendent of a flesh-shadow, Ombre. He also saw that the Whizard's jewel had glowed when he had touched it without a ring to activate it. And he had been in hiding and in fear so long, yet yearning to return and set things right. But, he was still unsure. He looked up and met Danny's distressed eyes. He swallowed hard at his next thought. It could only be….He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the Chair of Authority fall with a loud thud.

Phasma had sprung from his seat with such violence, that he had knocked his chair over. Still, he was still so much in shock, he could not speak, but he managed a disbelieving frown. He was both of flesh-blood and shadow, the true descendant of Varjo! He had nothing to fear. It did not matter that the foolish Whizard had said 'Phanto' in error! He would not give up his Chair!

Jiva was also distraught. The Phantom-of-the-flesh _had_ to be the Prophesy! She could not be wrong! "Phanto" could just as well be "Phantom"! What would the boy do with her after all she had done? Maybe there was a chance that she could still control him!

And Asara smiled. All was as she hoped, and all the other Spectre apparently agreed with her and knew the meaning of the riddle. All of them—except Phasma and Jiva-- bowed down very low toward where Danny and the others were and the silence that followed was deafening. The only ones left standing in the end were the Prophesy and his daughter and the six originally accused by Phasma: Danny, his friends, Johnny 13 and the two sons of Ombre.

"What's happening?" Tucker whispered to Sam.

"I'm pretty sure that the riddle just told us who the true Prophesy is!" she whispered back.

"But who is it?" he quietly pressed on.

"I don't know," she uttered under her breath, "But let's just listen, OK?"

Suddenly, Sombre respectfully announced, "My lord, Spirto!", and bowed even lower than the other Spectre to his younger brother.

Danny breathed a partial sigh of relief. At least some of the Spectre didn't think he was the Prophesy! He stepped closer to Sam and Tucker and listened intently.

Sam leaned over to Tucker and Danny heard her whisper as well. "Does that answer your question? Looks like Sombre thinks that Spirto might be the true Prophesy!"

"But why isn't it Danny?" Tucker blurted out.

"Shhh!" she uttered in irritation as she and the others were still glued to the scene unfolding before them.

Spirto looked around in distress at the other submissive Spectre, and then to Sombre, and objected, "No! I am not he, brother! It should be you! You are the older!"

But Sombre rose and looking right into his brother's eyes, declared, "Yes, but we both are of the younger House of Phanto!"

Sam, Tucker, Danny and Johnny 13 gasped at the news; and Johnny 13 gasped the loudest. This was the only thing that Sombre had kept secret from him: that he had a last name!

Spirto looked briefly at them before searching for Asara. She was smiling as she rose and declared, "That is the truth! Sombre and Spirto are of the House of Phanto, the name Ombre took for his house when he became Spectre!"

Johnny 13 sadly looked on, upset with the realization. Sombre was the logical choice. This meant the ending of their friendship!

But then, Sombre put his hand upon his younger brother's shoulder and said in all seriousness, "Even if I were the Prophesy that Abantesma foretold, I would not take it! I have done nothing to aid the Spectre in their misery. I have been shamefully absent in trying to help them. You, however, Spirto, in spite of your belief otherwise, were the only one of our House who through all your brave efforts all these years still have saved the Spectre!"

He glanced at his other companions and added with a smile, "Along with the help of your friends, of course!"

Phasma and Jiva were dumbfounded by the scene. Phasma knew that the brothers were of the House of Phanto, of course, but he would not give up his throne. And Jiva would never bow to the authority of either of the brothers.

Finally, Phasma pointed to the Phanto brothers and commanded the nearby soldiers, "Seize them!" And turning slightly toward Danny and the others, he pointed violently to them and also sneered, "Along with their '_friends'_! How dare Sombre deem them equal to the Spectre!"

But the soldiers would not obey Phasma. They believed in the words of the Whizard and believed that Spirto was their true Prophesy.

Phasma trembled in anger at the soldiers' disobedience and his red crown blazed in anger as he lifted the amulet.

But before he could wield its power, two things happened in quick order: Sombre flew up and snatched the amulet right from Phasma's hand and the two nearby Spectre guards—who happened to be Geist and one of Spirto's most trusted lieutenants—restrained Phasma and signaled for others to restrain Jiva.

Sombre flew back to Spirto with the amulet and raising the amulet up, said to his brother, "And all can see how beloved you are by your soldiers. A leader of the Spectre does not obtain such honor easily, unless he has** a most unique power **to understand and care for them! And that kind of power, that kind of passion, could only come from the depths of your very unique soul. No, brother, you are the true Prophesy of whom Abantesma spoke!"

He motioned for his brother to take the amulet, but Spirto was still unconvinced and refused it. All the other Spectre were spellbound by his reluctance.

Undaunted by it, Sombre then flew over to his friend Johnny 13 and laying his hand on the biker ghost, turned to his brother again and said, "Besides, I now belong to the Shadow-of-the-Flesh Plane with my _other_ brother!" He turned back to his friend and smiled.

Johnny 13 smiled weakly back. He would not lose his friend's companionship after all.

But Spirto still objected, "I am not worthy of the title!"

Sombre frowned in distress. He knew his brother was the one, but how was he going to convince him?

Seeing Spirto's doubt juggled Danny's mind, and his wild thought he had when he first heard Abantesma's message resurfaced. He now knew what the last stanza of the clues meant. And now was the time to reveal it. He hurried over to Johnny 13 and Sombre and said, "C'mon! We have to show him the rings!"

Johnny 13 and Sombre's foreheads' furrowed in confusion, but they went right after him.

Just as Danny came upon Spirto, he excited said, "Besides, there is definite proof that you are the Prophesy foretold in the Omen!"

"But how?" Spirto said in distress. He was truly in turmoil. How could he rule a race that he had made suffer so long before he had acted?

Danny took off his ring and Johnny 13 and Sombre did the same. Then the boy calmly repeated the lines, "For each **eye** will know, to hearken this greatest Way, the Younger House of Phanto." They presented all three to Spirto and as he took them, Sombre raised the amulet up. Its glow dulled to a flicker, bowing to the heart imbedded in all three rings. But it especially dulled before the ring that Danny had remembered had burned brightest when it had approached the Whizard's gem, which now seemed almost aflame when Spirto touched it: the one that had belonged to Spirto!

But as soon as Danny and Johnny 13 had given up their rings, they both groaned and stumbled to the ground, instantly affected by the harsh environment, which was still compounded by the intense magic surrounding the P'numbra Parley. Sam and Tucker gasped and immediately rushed to Danny's side. Sombre instinctually reached for his ring before rushing to his friend. He touched the bike ghost with his ring and his friend instantly recovered.

Now Spirto was convinced. He quickly went over to Danny and slipped Ombre's ring onto one of his fingers and Danny recovered. Sam and Tucker helped him back up.

And Spirto smiled in appreciation to Danny, but said nothing. He turned to the rest of the Spectre and stood upright, proud, yet humbly, nodded his head, acknowledging the title just as Sombre placed the amulet over and around his brother's neck.

All those present, except for Phasma, Jiva and Bhuto, sent up a loud and boisterous cheer of approval as the amulet' s color changed from the red House of Phantôme, to the green hue of the House of Phanto. Indeed, the amulet had recognized Spirto as the true Prophesy of the Spectre.

**A/N: Don't worry, there is still a little of the story left. You KNOW I always have an epilogue! See you soon! truephan**


	63. Chapter 63 Epilogue

**A/N: Well, well, well, raise your hand if you had figured out who the Prophesy's Omen was? What? That many? Y'all are way too clever for me! Now to tie up some loose ends. And, sniff and boo-hoo, too bad!! This is the end!!!! But it is bittersweet indeed that I started this story on the birthday of a member of my House, I mean, family, and NOW I end it on the birthday of another member of my family! I dedicate this Epilogue to Lisa. Happy 22****nd**** and, as always, YOU ROCK!!! Anyhow, here is the Epilogue. My, it is VERY long! Actually, my personally fav Epilogue (next to HOWE, of course!)! Enjoy!**

Shadow of a Doubt—Epilogue—The Beginning of the Rule and Home

The festivities were already in the planning stages. The entire Realm was invited to the crowning ceremony of the new Prophesy, which would be in a few short days. Danny, Sam, Tucker, Johnny 13 and Sombre were invited, of course, and given dignitary quarters in the castle while the gala was being prepared.

Spirto had retrieved all the rings of his house and had given Danny and Johnny 13 special talismans in their stead to protect them from the elements. Though an ominous cloud seemed to have lifted off the Realm, the atmosphere which surrounded and was within the castle was still as hostile as ever to flesh-shadows and the Far Frozen ice creatures. Still, both of the flesh-shadows noticed that these talismans were not as powerful as the rings, as they were more aware of the harsh elements in spite of the talismans. Johnny 13 didn't' seem to be bothered by the slight discomfort. But just like Frostbite had said, Danny was especially uncomfortable because of his ice powers.

Even though they wanted to stay for the celebration, the three teens felt the need to go home. They all had migrated to Danny's room and were discussing all that had happened, including Danny and Sam's telling Tucker about how they got their new telepathic powers. Tucker was totally amazed, and asked them all kinds of questions about it. They told him most, but not all, that had happened in their encounter with Jiva when she had seized Sam's body. Not that Danny and Sam wanted to hide this from their friend. They just knew that some of the turmoil they had shared was best left between each other. And that feeling they both agreed upon solidified their bond.

But as the trio talked, the effects of the Spectre realm were taking their toll on Danny. His friends, on the other hand, were a different matter. True, Sam and Tucker were still weak from their encounters, but they had noticed that they weren't suffering from any more of the effects from this realm. They, of course, did not know that the reason for their tolerance was directly correlated to their time in said realm. Their violent encounters and absorption of so much Spectre energy had not only allowed them to understand the Spectre language without the Ghost Gabberettes, but also, now made their bodies immune to the effects of the harsh environment.

Danny? What's wrong?" Sam asked him, concern in her eyes as she noticed her boyfriend's appearance.

"Yeah, dude, you look awful," Tucker agreed, equally worried.

Danny's breathing had changed to a laborious one and he was obviously sweating more. His make-up was too complex to allow the same immunity as his friends to the Spectre realm.

But just as Danny had convinced them not to worry, several soldiers suddenly burst in and soundly commanded, "Lord Spirto requests your presence!"

Though confused by the soldiers' stern insistence, the trio said nothing. After all, many things had changed—definitely for the better-- since the new Prophesy had ascended to his chair. So, the teens took this intrusion in stride; and after Danny took Sam's hand, they all went willingly to see the Prophesy.

As they walked down the hallway, the threesome noticed that it seemed brighter than before the fall of Phasma; but then again, that might have had to do with the general happiness that could be felt by every being in the castle. In fact, the entire castle looked different both inside and out. Overall, it was still grey and black, but the gray now occurred more often than the black, except for the addition of the white flags streaked with green pulsating flames that now proudly flew upon all the minarets….

Several Spectre servants hurriedly came and went, slowing only enough to politely bow in acknowledgement to the new friends of the Prophesy as they passed by. The trio could tell even with their silence that these Spectre were excited about the change.

The three best friends were joined by Johnny 13 and Sombre when they reached the Room of Authority. They all nodded to each other and were escorted in by the Spectre soldiers.

Spirto looked regal yet simple as he sat upon the Chair of Authority. The amulet was now whole again, restored by the power of the heart encased in all the three former rings. It now seemed to dance with its own bright green flames within the stone.

Spirto's appearance had also changed. He was no longer entirely black. He was still mostly ebony throughout, but what was once spikes of black hair atop his shadow head was now replaced by a crown-like ring of green flames. And if his claws had been exposed at the moment, they would have been as green as the amulet, his eyes and his flaming hair.

Danny wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand and took in another ragged breath while waiting for the Prophesy to speak. He couldn't help but feel privileged to witness the beginning of the rule of the greatest Prophesy of the Spectre as there ever were. He smiled at the thought and momentarily forgot about his discomfort.

The Prophesy waited for all five companions to situate themselves in front of him before he spoke. "My friends," he began, gesturing for them to come closer to the Chair of Authority. They obliged him and he continued, "I owe you many explanations."

The five looked at the other and then, looked to Danny. The boy took a deep breath. "No, that's OK, Spirto. It's not necessary…" he began, speaking for the group.

But Spirto interrupted him, "No, please! I beg of you. Let me explain! I had hoped to spare you from any danger, but it was not meant to be. Still, I had put all of you in a very desperate and unnecessary situation during the P'numbra Parley and I think you should know why. And at least for the sake of my brother, Sombre, who does not know all that had happened to me after we were separated those so many years ago, I would like to tell you my story.

All five of the companions looked at each other and nodded. Then they all turned to Spirto and smiled, encouraging him to go on.

Spirto returned their smiles with his own weak one and said, "I do not know how much you remember, Sombre…."

His brother gently interrupted him, "Our friends here know some of what happened. They know of the defeat of our father by Varjo, our imprisonment and our torment at the cruel hands of Esprit. And of our escape. And how young you were at the time…a mere Spectre youth and all…But we do not know all that had happened at the place we were supposed to meet--you know, where the rings were smuggled to and where we were to meet up with our mother…" Sombre's face fell to grief at the memory, and quietly added, "Nor do we know all that happened since our separation."

"Then you already know a lot!" Spirto said, nodding to his brother to acknowledge his same grief. "So, I will tell you how I got to that rendezvous point and how things came to be afterward."

And Spirto began to tell his lost story….

"We had escaped from the prison and we, of course, knew we needed to travel separately because our escape would be soon discovered. Sombre went first and agreed to get the rings, which, as you know, were smuggled out of the castle by our dear mother... I, however, was not as wise as my brother…"

Sombre was about to interrupt him in his brother's defense. After all, Spirto had been _very_ young at the time. But Spirto lifted his hand to indicate for his brother to be silent for now. Sombre nodded in compliance.

And Spirto continued, "Like I said, at the time of our prison escape, I was not as wise as my brother. I dared to challenge Varjo!"

This time, Sombre gasped. The others merely looked on in surprise.

"I found Varjo in the Room of Authority with his daughter and son."

This time, the four non-Spectre looked at each other as they gasped in shock. They did not know that Phasma had a sister!

"Phasma had a sister?!" Tucker uttered, blurting out what everyone else was shocked over.

Spirto waited for them to calm a bit before he continued, "I am sorry you did not know about the daughter of Varjo. But, I will still continue. His daughter, whose name was Atma, was the elder of the two offspring of Varjo. She was much, much older than me, even older than Sombre. In fact, she was just about as old as our own mother. But as she stood there, staring down at me from next to her father, there was both a fierceness and gentleness to her that I cannot fully explain here."

"His son, of course, was Phasma. As you know, he was quite a bit older even to my brother. And you also know how I felt about him. Even then, I knew he was beneath contempt."

The five companions nodded in agreement and Spirto continued, "Varjo was, at first, quite amused at my audacity. He knew of me as no threat, yet he allowed me to defy him. He did not even feel a need to have the guards restrain me. But he grew bored with my threats; and it was then that he fired a powerful red-and-black ray at me. I fell to the ground, totally made helpless and senseless by the blow. Even here, in our Realm, in his afterlife, Varjo had no regards for the….how do you…humans…say it?...Ah, yes….Varjo had no regards for the concerns of _children_." He paused a little and then mused out loud, really to himself, "Perhaps, then, I should pity Phasma more."

He paused again and pressed on, "The next thing I remember, I was in a carriage pulled by shadow steeds, speeding with great need to a designation of which I knew nothing! I roused from the seat I had been upon and looked around. And then I saw her: the daughter of Varjo! I, of course, was frightened, but I was also confused at seeing her. Why had I not been put back into the dungeon, or worse? I dare not speak; and for a long time, we looked upon each other in silence."

The others were enthralled with his tale and kept their full attention to the Prophesy. But then, Tucker inadvertently shifted. He suddenly felt weak and dizzy, painfully aware once again that he had not quite gotten over his ordeal and they had been standing the whole time while listening. But he didn't complain.

Sam, too, was suddenly more aware that she had not fully recovered from her encounter. She also seemed to be getting tired and leaned on Danny for support. Danny obliged her, even though he felt that the way he was feeling under the weak power of his talisman, he might need _her _support soon.

Spirto immediately noticed this and responded, "Forgive me, my human friends! I have forgotten your comfort!" He clapped his hands, and several servants immediately came into the room. "If you please, our friends need chairs!" he told them.

Without hesitation, they retrieved the number needed and all the companions except Sombre sat down. The servants then left them alone.

Only then did Spirto feel that he could continue. "Finally, Atma spoke, and she told me how brave she thought I had been for standing up to Varjo! You can imagine my shock at that comment! She went on to explain how she had hated her father because he had forbidden her to marry. She was much more useful to him in another way, and did not want her to become distracted. But her brother was not only allowed to be married and have offspring, but was given even more privileges than the daughter of Varjo."

"She continued to go on about her life and her hope for the future and I wondered why she was telling all of this to me, the son of Ombre!"

Sombre looked at his brother in awe. He had never realized how much insight his brother had had, even at such a young age!

"So I asked her that and she told me. She told me that I had reminded her of herself! I knew that she had been a cunning warrior, but I did not know at the time that in all the history of the Spectre she had been the only female Spectre to be so! She had been much beloved by all the Spectre army, even trusted by my own father, before Varjo grew to power. But when her father did wrestle the Chair from my father, Varjo eventually grew jealous and even threatened by her influence over the soldiers. But she only had the care of the Spectre in her deepest being. Even though she did not have….I think you call it 'love' …for her father, she had no desire to challenge him for the Chair. But Varjo did not believe it!"

Spirto paused and actually seemed to be upset at what he was saying. Obviously, he had feelings for the Spectre he was talking about. But still, he added, "And Varjo was planning to rid himself of her the very night Sombre and I escaped from the dungeon! But she had been warned and had made her own plans to escape. And then just before she was to flee, I had come to challenge Varjo!"

"Those soldiers loyal to her helped her save me after Varjo attacked me, and told her of the band that was sent to hunt my brother and mother."

"So, here we were riding in a carriage, taking me to somewhere I did not know! I had been so enthralled with her story that when I realized that I did not know where she was taking me again, I panicked! I begged her to let me go to my brother!"

Spirto paused again and looked at Sombre, and Sombre knew by that look that this had been the reason that Spirto had been so late in coming to their rendezvous point.

"She did not speak at first to answer me and I began to cry! Again, she was amazed at this, as Spectre do not cry! Then I learned something of her that changed my thoughts forever! She consoled me in my mind! It startled me out of my spell and she then told me of her special gift. A gift she had inherited from her mother."

Sam suddenly brightened when he said that and she blurted out, "She could read minds like Jiva!"

Spirto was surprised by her outburst, but it did not upset him. He replied, "Yes, my friend, she could. But she could do more than that. She could also keep another Spectre from reading her thoughts!"

"Anyhow, please forgive me. I am getting ahead of myself! After she had consoled me, she then told me that we were actually heading to the very same rendezvous point after all! She had heard from her spies where it was. I was overjoyed and when we got there, we found that the soldier band sent by Varjo had just arrived as well."

"But again, I let my passions rule me and I immediately jumped out of the carriage before it had even stopped, looking desperately for Sombre!"

Sombre shifted a little in mental pain at the memory, but he kept quiet as his brother continued, "But the soldiers had been given terrible power by Varjo, and the fight was fierce. Somehow, I had found Sombre, but he insisted that I go. He had his ring and could fight the soldiers with it. Then I saw my mother nearby, the one who had smuggled the rings out, and I tried to reach her. But one of the seals hit close to her and she was thrown away from me! I screamed her name and then some other soldiers came to her and took her away! I was infuriated and charged after them, leaving my brother behind. But then, just when I had thought I had reached the soldiers who had taken my mother, I was once again hit by several powerful red-and-black seals. I did not know, of course, at the time that I had been very hurt, as the blows had knocked me out."

Sombre shuddered at the memory. He had, of course, thought his brother had perished!

Spirto saw his reaction and chuckled a little and said, "Do not worry, my brother. As you can see, I did not perish, nor, as I can plainly see, had you, even though I had also thought so! No, I was saved once again, by the daughter of Varjo! Her soldiers had also saved our mother and helped her to flee to the Flesh-Plane. Our mother was safe for a time, Sombre, but I still lament when the spies of the daughter of Varjo had learned that she had perished at the hands of Spectre bounty hunters, when she had ventured in one of her many attempts to find us in the Ghost Zone and beyond. …. When I found that out, I was so distressed and could not be comforted that the daughter of Varjo had them meet justice…" He stopped a moment, mourning her memory just as Sombre let his head fall in grief. They both had truly _loved_ their mother. But at least for Sombre, there was an odd comfort in knowing what had become of her….

There was silence amidst the entire group for a long time before Spirto spoke again. His voice cracked with emotion at first, but he pressed on, "But the daughter of Varjo took me to the farthest border of the Spectre Realm and nursed me back to health. When I was strong enough to ask why again, she had told me once more how so much like her I was. And then I understood. She took me in and she became as my own mother. She taught me everything she knew. How to be cunning, how to be a warrior, how to read the Spectre mind, but more importantly, how to block any Spectre from reading my mind! She was an excellent teacher and I grew to… to love her as if she were my mother.

Danny suddenly realized that this was also something that they had not thought about when trying to figure out who the true Prophesy was. Now, he had no doubt that Spirto was the one destined to be the Prophesy. Spirto had the unique power to read and block minds, which no other male Spectre had even been able to do since the time of the Whizards. But, more importantly, Danny knew that Spirto would have been the best leader for the Spectre. After all, he was the only Spectre who had inherited the deepest and purest forms of _human_ emotions, which would make Spirto a compassionate and wise ruler.

Spirto paused again, moved by the story once again. The others hearing it were equally moved, but waited to hear more. Spirto sighed and continued, "But some things she could not teach me and some things she did not reveal to me until after the Parley. Not that she did not ache to tell me. She just knew that the time was not right. She wanted for me to grow with my own mind and strength first. In the meantime, she had the power to disguise herself. She made herself ancient and broken of form. And she used her mental powers to find a way into the ear of Phasma."

Suddenly, Danny had a wild thought.

"The old Spectre who got Jiva out of Sam! That was Varjo's daughter!" Danny blurted out, unconsciously wiping off his wet brow with the back of his hand.

Spirto smiled at how clever a flesh-shadow this one was. "Yes, my friend. Asara, the head of the Elders, was warrior of Spectre, daughter Atma of Varjo and mother Asara of Spirto. And she made it just as easy for me to gain the confidence of Phasma. She wanted as much as I did to have the Spectre free and proud as before. But now I know that she was wise and careful, and I am thankful that I listened to her. She would not let me act too early, though with each day that passed, I ached so much to do so."

Spirto sighed again, still grieved that many had suffered while waiting for his rise to power, but strangely relieved, nevertheless. "Then you five came and soon, we will need to find out all that each had encountered here. But you all know what had happened at the Parley. And we all are here in good friendship. But in the meantime, I am glad you would hear my words."

All five sat in silence, taking it all in. Finally, Tucker dared to ask, "But what was it that she did not teach you and what did you find out after the Parley?"

"Tucker!" Sam chided him.

And for the first time in a very, very long time, Spirto laughed. And though his laughter was brief, it seemed to lift up everyone's spirits there. He finally said, "It is all right, friend Sam, House of Manson! I did tell you that I wanted you to understand all! And I am glad to please you, friend Tucker, from the House of Foley!!"... He paused briefly and then continued, "She told me that what she could not teach me or tell me was of another gift that she possessed. A gift thought long lost by the Spectre. And a gift that only was given to the male Spectre. But you remember that she had been the only female Spectre who was a warrior? She, too, was the only female Spectre who had the gift of prophecy! She had two Whizards as her ancestors. One was named Imago. He had been the father of the father of Fantasma, who was the mother of Asara and Phasma; and he, too, had the gift of prophecy. And then there was Abantesma, whom you also know had the gift of prophecy. But you may not know that he was the father of Esprit, who was the mother of Fantasma. But Phasma did not inherit the gift. Why, you might ask? Well, I can only suppose that the fates had not willed it! Male Spectre were the only ones who had been given the gift, but it was still a gift, which means that it was possible that the male descendents of those with the gift of prophecy would not receive it."

"But back to Asara, which you now know had the gift of prophecy. She had known since the time she had first seen me that I had an important role in the Spectre future, which included rising to leadership to the Spectre! But, again, she was wise not to have told me this at that time. I would not have fulfilled my destiny!"

The listeners were silent, taking it all in.

This time, Johnny 13 braved a question, "But what about Phasma and Jiva, then?" He paused momentarily before adding, "And that 'Bhuto' dude?"

"A wise question, Johnny, House of Thirteen! They are completely powerless and can no longer harm any other Spectre. But I am not like their ancestors! They have been sent not to oblivion, but to banishment. They will not perish from their punishment, but will not be allowed in the Spectre Realm until, perhaps, if it is possible, that they are willing to make amends for their grave actions! How long that will be, we cannot, of course, say…But believe it or not, I have the most pity for Phasma but none in the least for Jiva and Bhuto!"

This time, all five sat speechless, especially Sombre. He was fully content about his decision. Spirto was the true Prophesy of the Spectre. But then he had a sudden memory and he blurted out, "And I have great news for us as well, Spirto! Our father, Ombre, lives!"

"What?" Spirto cried, falling back into the Chair of Authority in shock. The three teens had never seen such strong emotion coming from Spirto, so they knew that the news penetrated him deeply.

Sombre continued, "Yes, he neither perished nor abandoned us in the end!" And he quickly told his brother Libro's story.

"And where is he now?" Spirto excitedly asked his brother after he was through.

"He is in the Flesh-Shadow Plane for now. He was saved by Clockwork."

Spirto sighed, 'Ah, yes, Clockwork... His fame has spread even to our realm, as your fame will spread, my friends!" Spirto said, especially looking at Danny.

Danny smiled in embarrassment at the high compliment, and, though he was beginning to get dizzy, managed to utter, "It will do us more honor just to know you, Spirto the Splendid, Prophesy of the Spectre from the House of Phanto!"

"_Kudos, there. Neat name!"_ Sam told him mentally.

"_Thanks!"_ he answered right back to her mind. But Sam could tell he wasn't right.

Spirto smiled at what Danny had called him, and used that title from that day forward. He then said, "Now, my friends, you told me that you must go, but I wish you would stay to be honored by all the Spectre!"

"We would love to stay, but our 'houses' are expecting us to be back for our own special festivities that we call "Christmas", Danny said with a weak smile, trying to fight his spinning head. "Besides, you will still have **both** of your brothers here to celebrate!" he added, pointing to Sombre and Johnny 13.

But suddenly, Danny dropped his hand and groaned, startling everyone. He fell senseless against Sam and she supported him just as Spirto jumped up and rushed over to him. The moment he touched the boy, he recovered.

"What is wrong?" Spirto anxiously asked.

Danny slowly looked up at Spirto and placing his hand on his head while righting himself, he weakly told the Prophesy, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell you!" He lost his balance again and Spirto grabbed him in support again. "I am not a flesh-shadow like Johnny 13! I am both human and ghost, and you know I have powers like the Far Frozen Ice Creatures. The talisman you gave me wasn't strong enough to protect me like your rings were. But I'm all right now!"

"I am sorry, I did not know of this! But that would explain it all!" Spirto said as he placed the entire amulet around Danny and clapped his hands. Several servants returned and bowed to Spirto.

"Quickly!" he hurriedly said. "Bring the trays!"

The servants immediately retrieved the prepared tray of items. Spirto also retrieved another talisman that had been there among other similar stones. He immediately touched the gem in his hand to the amulet that was still around Danny's neck; it momentarily glowed a bright green, and then returned to its original clear color. The Prophesy placed it over Danny's neck and removed the larger amulet. And Danny was now fully recovered and smiled weakly at Spirto. He then took some other things off the tray and handed them to the boy. Danny's face brightened more when Spirto said, "And, of course, I am sure you want these back!" They were Danny's wrist Blazers and Sam and Tucker's Ghost Gabberettes!

"Yes, thank you, Spirto!" Danny said with a smile as he put on the Blazers and shoved the ghost gabberettes into his pockets. Sam and Tucker no longer had any need of them since their own encounters. Then Danny remembered the last comment about "explaining". He asked Spirto, "Uh, what did you mean that 'it would explain it all'?"

Spirto smiled and said, "First, I was quite perplexed on what kind of creature you were. You could breathe, yet had shadow powers, and, of course, the powers of the Folk of the Far Frozen. Now, I can see why I was confused. I was uncertain at first that **you** were not the Prophesy! Asara had told me after the Parley that she herself was not totally certain until you had presented my ring to me. Remember that the gift of prophecy is not always forthright. The rings of the amulet would not glow for flesh-shadows, but apparently I now understand that they did for you when you first saw them!"

Danny, Sam and Tucker gasped. How could he possibly know of this? But they said nothing.

Spirto chuckled a little and said, "Remember that Asara taught me to read minds! And with the amulet, it is apparently instantaneous. I apologize, then, as I did not mean to intrude upon you when I did that. I have still not mastered this great gem. But I felt all your memories when I touched you at the P'numbra Parley and just now! And I know of your first encounter with the rings. If not being commanded to use their power, they would only recognize the Prophesies. They recognized Ombre, my father. But they also recognized you! As you just told me, however, you are not just flesh-shadow. And an even more exceptional flesh-shadow. You are the only ice-creature who managed to survive here. And you are also flesh-blood, a human. The rings have never encountered such a creature as you and were probably confused by your distinct energy signature. But I knew that when my ring glowed brighter when I took it from you at the Parley that I was the one who had been foretold. I am sorry!"

"I'm not!" Danny insisted. "I don't think I could ever be as wise as you, Spirto, when it comes to ruling such an awesome race as the Spectre!"

Spirto smiled back at his compliment and proceeded to continue what he had started to do. He quickly gave Sam and Tucker each another similar talisman. He then said, "I was planning on giving you these at the celebration. I could not let you go without giving you our thanks and the good-byes of the Spectre!"

He backed up a little from the trio and continued, "Since you all now have Spectre in you, know that you all are welcomed in this realm at any time. These talismans will protect you whenever you are here. Well, they will protect _you_, Danny, House of Phantom! Even though you have part Spectre in you, your signature is too complex and will not allow you to be completely safe here without this jewel."

"Your friends, however, will not need them fully until they become shadows-of-the-flesh as well. But as long as they are still flesh-bloods, pardon me, still _humans_, they will not have much need of these jewels. You see, they have in many ways become part Spectre, since their encounters here were so unique and intense. But, if your friends wish, they may still use these gems to keep them completely unaffected by the elements here. Before all that happened to them, they, as you know, were affected by the elements, which is why both Sam of Manson and Tucker of Foley could be harmed by the Spectre powers."

The three best friends looked at each other, astounded by Spirto's words.

But before they could say anything, Spectro added, "But that is not all! These stones can also be used to call upon the help of the Spectre at any time. We are eternally indebted to you for what you have done for our kind, especially since you still helped us even when you were so unlike us and had no bonds to come to our aid."

Danny smiled, and was able to reply, "But, with all due respect, Spirto, you're wrong. Like you said, we all now have Spectre in us and you also are of the flesh-shadows. So really, we are more alike than you think!"

"_Kudos there, again!"_ Sam mentally told him.

"_Thanks, again!"_ he chuckled back in his mind.

Spirto smiled but didn't say anything.

"And don't forget to come visit us anytime _you_ want!" Tucker said, before briefly admiring the reflections that danced off of his talisman and onto the chair next to him. But he quickly realized that he must stop and he turned his attention back to the Prophesy.

"I will not forget!" Spirto said. He floated over to Sombre. He gave him another amulet along with a huge embrace which lasted for quite a bit of time. Then they pulled away and the Prophesy said, "I am glad you will be here to celebrate with me! I can easily send both you and our other brother back to the flesh-shadow plane with the power of the amulet. But you will not need that. This amulet will give you the power to return here as quickly as you want, or to anywhere else where you desire to go. We also can communicate with it so that you will always know how your brethren in the Spectre Realm are. So when you do leave, do not be a stranger to your home anymore, brother!"

"I will not. And I will say the same to you for our _other_ home! And, then, it will be possible for both of us to plan to see our father."

They both smiled and then Spirto went back to the tray and retrieved another item. He flew over to Johnny 13 and said, "I am sorry that I cannot give you back your ring. But please take this small gift in its stead."

He dropped another ring into the biker ghost's hand. It was not as beautiful as his old ring, but was still grand with its shining gold band. The crystal was still green but was no longer round, but was rectangular in shape.

Spirto continued, "You will still be able to communicate with Sombre with this. But you will no longer need to have him near. You will be able to find him, speak to him and see him at anytime and anywhere with this ring. And it, too, will be able to alert your brothers here should you have need of us." He then pointed to Sombre and still speaking to the biker ghost, added, "Please take care of him, my brother!"

Johnny 13 looked down at the ring, placed it on his finger and said with a smile, "You have my word, Spirto! And this ring is cooler than my bike!"

Everyone laughed and then there was a pause.

Spirto looked to Danny again, and reminded him, "Do not forget that we all will have to meet one day as you requested when we first met for that 'long talk', Danny Phantom! There is much we could learn from each other!" He extended his right hand out in friendship to the boy.

"I promise!" Danny said as he took Spirto's hand and shook it affectionately. And Spirto chuckled at the odd feeling as he looked down at their moving hands.

Johnny 13 looked to Sombre and they nodded to each other. "Uh, before you go, can we say something?" Johnny 13 asked the three teens. Sombre moved closer to his biker friend.

The three teens nodded.

The biker ghost began, "Uhm, like I told you a while back, uhm, well, uhm…"

Sombre interrupted him, "What Johnny means is that we are sorry for all the wicked things we have done. We deserved our 'butts' getting kicked' all those times, but hope you will put those things in the past. We no longer wish to be your enemies. If you think it is possible, we would like to try to be friends to all of you."

Danny, Sam and Tucker looked at each other. They did not need to confer with each other and all three nodded and smiled. Johnny 13 reached out his hand and all three of them grabbed it and shook, and then did the same with Sombre.

Everyone again fell into an embarrassed silence.

Then Sam mentally told Danny, _"Uh, shouldn't we go?"_

"Yeah!" he blurted out loud when he heard her. But then when he saw everyone look at him at his odd utterance, he said with an embarrassed smile, "I mean, we're glad everything turned out for the best! And you're right, Spirto. We will come back for that 'long talk'. And thank you! But I think my friends and I need to return to our homes, er, I mean, houses!"

Everyone nodded and Spirto personally escorted them to the entrance of the castle.

The three best friends waved at him as they left for the Specter Speeder. Spirto had offered to use the amulet to send them directly home, and even though they had thanked him profusely, they refused. After all that happened, the trio needed the long ride home in their spacecraft to unwind and to talk about everything that had happened. Besides, they wanted to stop at Clockwork's castle to check on their friend, Libro.

They quickly found the spacecraft where they had left it and Tucker put in the coordinates.

After that quick stop at Clockwork's, they were sure that even though he would not be able to leave the castle for a long time, Libro would be all right in the end…They all chuckled when Libro insisted that they continued to call him that, as he had grown quite fond of the name.

* * *

Finally, the Specter Speeder entered the portal at Danny's home. The lab was decorated for the holidays, but no one was in it. Sam and Tucker left their amulets in the Specter Speeder and all three stepped out of the craft. The three then walked up the lab's stairs and entered the kitchen just as Danny called, "Mom! Dad! Jazz! I'm home!"

But no one answered. They quickly rushed to the living room. With all the vibrant decorations throughout, the whole house seemed to be the only thing alive. Now that his parents had finally resolved their differences about the holiday soon after the "Ghost Writer" affair, they seemed to go 'overboard' more and more each year in celebrating Christmas.

"Maybe they had some last minute shopping to do? After all, it is two days before Christmas!" Tucker said, after checking his PDA for the correct day.

"Maybe…." Danny began, then fretted, "Oh no! We've been gone so long that maybe something's happened…like lots of other ghosts attacking! Could you guys call your homes and make sure everything is OK?"

They nodded right away. Tucker called his parents and Sam called her grandmother. Neither family had reported anything awry.

Then, Tucker made a quick call to Valerie and after hanging up, confirmed, "No, Valerie said it's been very quiet. She doesn't know that we have our own 'code word'. Even though she doesn't think I know about her ghost hunting, she still kinda lets me know when she is doing that. She tells me that she has "extra work". So, everything has been quiet because she didn't have 'extra work'. Probably has to do with the ghost's own Christmas truce day, you know."

Danny and Sam had looked at each other and blushed when Tucker mentioned his and Valerie's own 'code word'. They didn't need to tell each other mentally that their own 'code word' wasn't in the least lame after all!

Then Danny said, "Well, at least, that's good! But where's Mom, Dad and Jazz?"

He grabbed his friends and soared to other parts of the house. Still, no one was there. Finally, they returned full circle to the incredibly overly decorated kitchen again. Then Danny finally spied a note on the table. He landed, released his friends and grabbed the note. As his friends looked on, he read:

Danny,

Gone to the hospital with Dad and Mom. Everything's OK!"

Love, Jazz

"Gone to the hospital and Everything's OK?" both Danny and Tucker yelled at the same time, reacting with their own interpretations of what that meant.

Sam picked up the note and after glancing at it, tried to calm both of her friends down. "Well, Jazz's handwriting is steady, so she wasn't upset when she wrote it," she observed. But, of course, the girl was worried, too.

"Let's go, then!" Danny hurriedly said, not at all calmed by Sam's remark. He scooped them up and soared to the hospital in supersonic speed.

Danny and his friends quickly landed in a hidden area near the entrance. And Danny just as rapidly changed back to his human side. He slipped the talisman still hanging around his neck into his shirt and all three ran inside.

Danny anxiously ran up to the information desk and breathlessly exclaimed, "Are there any Fentons here? I just got home and just got the message that my whole family was here!"

The desk clerk didn't seem fazed in the least by the boy's agitation. She slowly and calmly looked over the computer's roster and said, "Oh, yes, there's a Mr. Jack Fenton in room one-twelve. He is about to go into surgery!"

Danny's eyes were wild and wide as he gasped. "C'mon!" he commanded to his friends as he dashed off. He didn't even wait for his friends as he rushed to find his father's room.

The boy finally located the hall that matched the first part of his father's room. As he passed 'Room 101', 'Room 102', 103, his heart rate jumped at each step.

Sam and Tucker were right on his heels.

Finally, 'Room 110' flew right past him. He was running so fast that when he finally saw the room number he wanted and hit the brakes, he slid past it a little.

He quickly backtracked as Sam and Tucker reached the room at the same time. They burst into the room and saw Danny's mother and sister standing by the bed which contained his father.

His father's foot was wrapped in a bandage ten-times larger than his foot. Danny gasped when he saw that and blurted out before his family could react, "What happened? What's wrong with Dad?"

"Calm down, Danny," his mother said, "He's all right!" She then sweetly added, "Oh, and hi, Sam and Tucker!" She didn't seem at all upset.

Sam and Tucker just nodded weakly.

"Yeah, didn't you get my message?" Jazz added.

"Yeah! And somehow, 'Gone to the hospital' and 'Everything's OK' don't seem to go together!" Danny quipped back.

Then looking at his father's foot again and turning to address his father, he asked, a little more calmly, but not really, "What happened anyway, Dad?"

"W-well," Jack chuckled, clearly embarrassed. "There was this accident and…"

Danny's eyes frantically shifted to his mother as she interrupted her husband, "You see, sweetie, you know we've been working on getting the toaster oven calibrated, and, well,…."

This time Jack interrupted his wife, and Danny frantically shifted his gaze back to his father, "Yeah, darn thing wouldn't calibrate and I, heh-heh, got a little frustrated and I, uhm, heh-heh, put my foot in it!"

"Literally," Danny's mother deadpanned as she unwrapped her husband's foot, revealing the toaster oven which, _**if**_ it had been plugged in and turned on, would be at that moment nicely toasting his father's foot.

His father winced in embarrassment, and then suddenly, everyone burst out laughing, especially Danny. But his laugh was more in relief.

Sam and Tucker couldn't help but think through their laughter that "Everything's OK" as Jazz had written was true after all.

"But what about the 'surgery' thing?" Danny added, suddenly remembering that little piece of news.

"Oh, that," Jazz casually said. "It'll be 'surgery' alright! 'Surgery' for the metal shop people! We're just waiting for a machinist to come here to saw the toaster off!"

Danny then laughed in amusement when he said, "So, looks like you're going to get a new toaster after all, Mom and Dad!"

And everyone joined him in laughter again.

Finally, Maddie looked at the younger teens and turning to Danny, said, "You all really look beat, honey! We'll have plenty of time to talk about everything later. Why don't you and your friends go home? I want you plenty rested for Christmas!"

Danny didn't answer her right away. He turned to his father and asked, "Then, you're all right, Dad?"

"Sure, son, you know me!" his father answered, still wincing with embarrassment.

Satisfied, Danny then answered his mother, "OK, mom! See you guys later. And just so you know, we have **lots** to talk about. We solved the mystery!"

They all hugged each other and said their combo 'hello and goodbyes' and the three best friends left the hospital, still thinking about their adventure.

As they walked down the hall, making their way back to the entrance, Danny remarked to his friends, "What an adventure, huh? Stopping Phasma and Jiva, solving the mystery! And I have to say that I'm so glad that Spirto was the Prophesy! I was worried it was me for a while!"

"Yeah, we did, too! But I can't believe that you wouldn't want to have such a butt-kicking army like the Spectre at your disposal! That would've been awesome!" Tucker excitedly said.

"Heck no! I mean, I agree with you about the Spectre. They are mega-cool! But this is my home here, dude, and I'd rather be kicking butt here with my best friends than kicking butt and sweating over there!"

They all laughed and continued on, all the while with the mystery still ringing throughout their minds.

Then just as they stepped outside the hospital, Sam suddenly realized something. She turned to Tucker and said, "And speaking of 'mysteries', you weren't petrified in the hospital just now, Tucker. What gives?"

"You're right, Sam! But it's a mystery to me, too! But I think it has something to do with everything that has happened when we were under the new hospital and in the old one."

"Huh?" Danny said, not sure of what he meant.

"Well, you weren't there when we found the last scroll and that red gem. You were in the Spectre realm looking for Libro. So, to make a long story short for now, I think that the fact that we almost got killed there somehow short-circuited my brain, and now I'm not afraid of hospitals anymore! I think that I was so relieved that I missed joining some of the nastiest ghosts to come out of the hospital, that it kinda jolted me out of my paranoia!"

They all laughed again.

Tucker then added, "And speaking of 'hospitals', I wonder how long Libro will have to be with Clockwork?"

"All I care is that he'll be all right. And I miss him already!" Danny truthfully said, giving Sam a weak smile. Then he frowned a little and added, "And I'm sure you'll miss him even more, huh, Sam? You won't get to talk to him all the time anymore."

Sam looked at him and knew by his look, his sympathetic tone of voice and thoughts that he was genuinely upset for her and Libro. He had become just as much a friend of Libro as she was. She thought about all that they had gone through since the beginning of this mystery, and how badly things might have ended. She was so glad that they had resolved everything and now they might have more opportunities in the future to grow closer in understanding each other. And for her to put all of her insecurities behind her.

She suddenly stopped in that realization and Danny looked at her, more concerned by her reaction. Thinking he had gotten her upset, he was about to send a telepathic message to her when she squeezed his hand, continued to walk on, and mentally told him, _"That's OK! I'm sure we'll see him again. Besides,… I'm very lucky. In the end, I still got the guy!" _

**THE END**

**A/N: Well, sniff, that's it!! Thank you SO very much for all your thoughts! I really look forward to them! They REALLY make my day!! And I especially thank Nicktendo Squad who is the undefeated champion of usually being the FIRST one to review each of my chappies!! I AM AWED!!! And, of course, I also especially thank Angelus-alvus, pearl 84 (again and again and again for your MEGA cool betaing!), Nicktendo Squad, DPCrazy, Wishes for Wings (well, then, what do ya think, huh?) , dpphan333 (like the 'phan' part of your name!), Horselvr4evr123, crazyvi, DandNsGirl, Silver Shadowbreeze (did the story live up to your cool name?), Thunderstorm101, inukagome15, dragonfire411, Mystica234, and all you countless ?????? other mysterious readers for ALL your thoughts! (Though I would have loved to have heard from you as well!)**

**Now, how many of you finally guessed the mystery of the names of the Spectre? Well, well, that many?**

**Anyhow, for those of you who, like me, are clueless about mysteries unless **_**I **__**write**_** them, here is the answer: All the names of the Spectre were taken EXACTLY from or were DERIVATIVES of the words for either "shadow" or "ghost" in various foreign languages!!! Here's the run down:**

**SHADOW..................................................................................................... GHOST**

**Hindi: Asara, Jiva, Bhuta, Preta, Atma ......................................................Hindi: Jiva, Bhuta, Preta, Atma**

**Spanish: Sombra .......................................................................................Spanish: Fantasma, Espiritu**

**Portuguese: Sombra .................................................................................Portuguese: Espirto **

**Italian: Spectre, Fantasma, Expiro, Spettro.............................................Italian: Spirto, Ombra, Fantasma**

**Latin: Umbra .............................................................................................Latin: Phasma, Manes, Imago, Umbra**

**French: Ombre, Fantôme ..........................................................................French: Fantôme, Spectre, Esprit **

**German: Schatten .....................................................................................German: Geist**

**Japanese: Shi sou, Shadou .......................................................................Japanese: Obake**

**Finnish: Varjo **

**Indonesian: Hantu**

**OH, and about "Abantesma" I somehow got the notion that it was Portuguese, but when I rechecked it, I couldn't find it again, but I thought it was such a cool-sounding name that I just kept it! **

**To those of you who guessed all about the names, I give my HEARTIEST and LOUDEST applause!! You are officially, then, extremely clever persons!**

**Also, in case any one was still confused about the "P'numbra Parley" and what that meant: "Penumbra" is a synonym for 'shadow' and I just contracted, or shortened, the name for the drama of it. "Parley" is a synonym for 'council'. So, the 'P'numbra Parley' means "Shadow Council". **

"**Prophesy", pronounced, "Prah-fi-SIGH", actually is a verb, which means 'to foretell the future'. But I turned it into a noun (my invention alone, BTW!!) to give the title of the leader of the Spectre a more exotic ring to it. **

"**Prophecy', pronounced, "Prah-fi-CEE", is a noun, which means the actual omen or foretelling. I used this word to actually describe the riddle of who the true Prophesy of the Spectre would be….Got that?  
**

**Have I missed any other confusing words? Oh, as you can see, I took the name of the Spectre from the French word meaning "ghost". It is NOT pronounced the way that Danny pronounced it in Chapter 3. In reality, it would be pronounced as the French do, which would be "Speh**_**cktr" **_**, which is one syllable and the 'e' is silent. But I liked saying "Speck-tray", accent on the first syllable, better, and voila!! The same 'logic' applies to 'Ombre'!! And "Esprit' was NOT pronounced just like the French would, either. Instead, Penelope Spectra's 'real' name was "Es'- pree". ( 'Spree' in actual French!) Got that, too? **

**As far as pronouncing the other Spectre names, I could compile the list for ya, but don't want to bore ya too much! But the PRINCIPLE Spectre's names were pronounced as such: Ahm'-bray (Ombre), Sahm'-bray (Sombre) Spear'-toe (Spirto), Speck'-tro (Spectro), A-sar'-a (Asara), Faz'-ma (Phasma), Jee'-va (Jiva), Bew'-toe (Bhuto), and A-ban-tez'-ma (Abantesma). My apologies for 'butchering' their correct pronunciation in their native tongues, but I just liked the way they sounded when I pronounced them as such. Anything goes for the REST of the Spectre names, BTW!! **

**Well, I hoped you had as much fun with "Shadow of a Doubt" as I did!! And I hope you'll join me in reading my next story, "TrueHeart", which I will be posting in the near future. **

**And again, many THANKS to all you wonderful readers!!! truephan**


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